Galadriel looked at the younger elf-maid with sadness, sorrow and angst in her wisdom brimming orbs. She addressed Breguril in Vanyarin, a language with exactly two speakers in Middle Earth – the two of them. Besides creating a special bond this choice of language was to thwart any evesdroping attempts. Especially with keen elven ears around. Although speaking Quenya would have made their conversation confidential amidst a crowd of the Galadhrim* but, using the tongue of her mother, Indis, of the Vanyar Kindred, ensured secrecy greater than had the ellith been speaking in the Black Speech of Mordor.

- A long time ago, far away, in Valinor under the light of the Trees, on the day you were born I promised myself that, once fifty yeni * (7200 years) – pass, I will reveal to you your parentage.

Breguril sat up, choking on her drink and coughing it out over her celadon tunic with Sí nathlon i caim gîn * embroidered in gold thread over her ample bosom.

.

- WHAT!? – she spluttered.

Her heart throbbed and blood thundered in her temples. She was so close to learning of her heritage! Of WHY had she been The Anomaly, the only bastard – with the elves needing to invent a new word - among the Calaquendi * (the Elves of Valinor) as the High Elves, the Eldar, married for life and only ever lay with their spouses. WHY and HOW did her mother have her, with no father ever mentioned? And her mother eventually marrying and having children with another ellon?

She felt giddy and faint – sensations last experienced during the march over the ice between Valinor and Beleriand, when she had been among the starving and freezing elves marching into Exile over Feanor's madness. She latched to the elder elleth's words.

... he again asked me for a hair to use in one of his works. I again refused him. Then he said I will regret my decision. I denied his request – by now a demand – and told him to leave. He then grabbed me and looked into my eyes with madness in his orbs. He said - "I will punish you in manner which will make you regret your pride to your last breath" and began to rip off my clothing. His eyes were locked with mine, I could not tear them away nor close them, and he ... commanded me ... he forced me to prepare my body for begetting and then he raped me ... it was only when he climaxed that I broke his control over me and extricated myself from his grasp and ran. For all my strength – I was called Nerwen* for some reason – he was too strong for me, especially when amok ...

At this point Breguril was kneeling at Galadriel's side, holding her arm, screaming

- he did what to you ... Feanor? Your uncle? My ... father?! ZAYEBYE HUYA!*.

She staggered to her feet barely seeing through the red mist obscuring her vision, muttering curses and vows of vengeance ... Kill! Kill! Kill! ... she felt her mother lead her a few steps and place something in her hands.

- Strike! – the Lady of the Golden Wood ordered.

She heeded the command and began to pummel the anvil with the heaviest hammer in the forge. Being taller and heavier muscled than her mother* she well had the strength to wield it. She kept on screaming Zayebye! Zayebye! and hammered away, imagining that she was pounding Feanor's body into pulp. After several minutes of frenzied battery her arms refused to cooperate and she let the hammer slip from her grasp.

She returned to her mother who sat with her head held high and glistening eyes. Breguril had never seen Galadriel cry. The exhausted elleth crumpled to her knees next to her mother and looked at her. With her eyes she pleaded to learn more. Or for denial. Or for words saying that this was some sick joke.

- I tried to tell my parents about what had happened. But my mother only slapped my face, as was the Way of the Eldar in those of Days of Yore, and told me to shut my foul mouth and stop spreading filth about my illustrious uncle ... for me to stop being fanciful and to confess whom had I begetted you with. I thought about fading – to cast my fea from my hroa, like any raped elleth can* - but Celeborn talked me out of it. He helped me with my decision to live on. He had been sweet on me for quite some time already, you know. He said that he would claim the child – you – as is own, as he still desired me. Regardless. I did not take upon his offer, not wishing to burden him. I did not fade. I had things to do, to look forward for - like avenging myself. And then you were born and ... looking at you in my arms, at my breast ... I could not imagine myself fading ... not before you were at least partly grown. And then the whole mess with Morgoth and Ungoliant happened ... I chose the Exile of the Noldor to seek revenge on Feanor – I fancied my chances in Middle Earth higher than in Valinor ... but the fucker managed to get himself killed immediately after arrival, as you know. Before I could get to him ... – Galadriel caught her breath.

- Out of a mix of pride, stubbornness and stupidity I kept the secret from you. And passed you off as my "kinswoman"; in Middle Earth only Celeborn and my brothers knew the truth about you. With this I hurt myself and you. Marking you out as some motherless reject. Please forgive me ...

Galadriel raised her tear filled eyes to her daughter and was crushed in a desperate hug which cracked her ribs. Breguril, the tallest and strongest elleth ever, raised during the wars with Morgoth in the First Age, whose last tears – while still an elfling - had been shed over those dead on the Helcaraxë* was bawling and dripping tears and snot all over her white gown. Disregarding the pain her child's powerful arms were inflicting – Breguril had wrestled with a bear once, after all – Galadriel clung to her last living child. After her heaving sobs subsided Breguril shot upwards and threw herself at the anvil again, again banging away her fury amidst screams and curses. She had the fury over seven thousand years of calling her mother "kin" to beat out of her system – and the knowledge of "why" renewed her strength.

.

.

AN:

Yen ( ) – 144 years; for some reason elves like their years by the gross

Fea – soul; by looking into the eyes of another elf an elf knew if the other was married (possibly even whom with);

Hroa - body

taller and heavier muscled than her mother – Galadriel is estimated to have been 6'4"/193cm. Breguril was at least an inch taller; knowledge of her weight was lost, although it is likely that nobody ever dared ask.

ZAYEBYE HUYA! - Vanyarin Quenya for "Revenge" – I made it up, if anybody's interested, better not replicate it elsewhere.

he forced me to prepare my body for begetting – in Laws and Customs of the Eldar Tolien wrote that begetting requires "conscious effort" (or words to that effect) of both parties. In my headcanon ellith have ODO (on demand ovulation) while ellyn "fire blanks" (looking for a nice acronym here) unless they wish to be called "ada" in 12 months' time.

Nerwen – man-maiden

to cast my fea from my hroa, like any raped elleth can – suicide when raped - Tolkien wrote that somewhere; I made it voluntary, as JRRT had it as an automatic reaction.

The mess with Morgoth and Ungoliant – Morgoth nicked the Silmarils from Feanor, and with Ungoliant's help destroyed the Two Trees illuminating Valinor

Helcaraxë – an ice bridge between Valinor and Beleriand – think Bering Strait.

Only Celeborn and my brothers being party to this in Arda – other family members who knew remained in Valinor and kept their mouths shut.

Actually I borrowed the story - of Feanor raping Galadriel and nobody believing her - from a fic I read I read here or on AO3. I appologise for not being able to attribute - I don't remember the authoress.