Hehehehe that got a few people a little annoyed…  I'm not sure just how much scandal there is here; but there might be a bit – not in this chapter but as a result of what Mithmír learns in it.  I am not 100% sure on my details on the early history of the Eldar; so if you spot any mistakes please tell me and I'll try to fix it/them.  Just to warn you, some dates I changed a little for the purpose of the story.

Sorry there are so many names in this chapter.  I have included a list of the major characters – not including Tondfael, Mithmír, and Galadriel – at the end, so if you get stuck look there.  I also apologize if you find it a bit hard to follow – I didn't, but then I wrote it :)

Hope you enjoy and please review.

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And Galadriel began to speak; and her voice under the dark night sky was as emotive as to make the age-old scenes Mithmír had never witnessed spring readily to the shield-maiden's dark eyes.

'I am Galadriel, or so the Sindar call me, youngest child and only daughter of Finarfin, youngest son of Finwë, Lord of the Noldor.  The life-paths of my brothers - Finrod, Orodreth, Angrod and Aegnor – have long been sundered from my own; but they are a part of this story as much as you, I, or Tondfael; and you shall hear a little of them and the Old History in this tale of your heritage.

'From the first, even from when the First Elves decided to follow Oromë across the Sea to Valinor, the Fair Folk had an organized society.  The most-heard tales and songs may only tell of the highest families; but there were others who were equally, if not more, courageous and strong.  Your mother's people were of this kind.  Lómwing herself was born in Valinor, shortly after the Awakening - in the reckoning of Elves, that is.  She was near thirty-two years my junior.  Her family were well-known and close to mine: my grandfather, Finwë, was a great friend of her grandfather, who was named Gwainferedir, which is the "new hunter".  Many tales of those early days tell of Finwë and Gwainferedir hunting as brothers in the virgin woods of that sacred place.  They were close in age and indeed close in kin; for Gwainferedir and all his people were Noldor Elves; and the people of Finwë.

'It is said that one day, after Oromë had made himself known to the Eldar but before they chose to remove to Valinor, Gwainferedir and Finwë chose to go on an especially long wander.  They had no wish to hunt that day; but merely to enjoy the sun and the fair weather that ever prevailed then in Middle Earth, before the woes of Melkor were full-wrought; and the kins of Elves and those who eventually were tortured to become Orcs were still the same.'

Mithmír shuddered at the mention of the close kinship between the foul servants of Morgoth (and later Sauron) and the Fair Folk.  It disgusted her to think of it, but at the same time filled her with pity.  To think that Elves could ever be tortured and mutilated so…

Galadriel noted the shudder and smiled sadly.  Tondfael shivered also, his tall, slim form making the movement as lithe and sinuous as a snake uncoiling.

Galadriel looked at the stars silently for a second, before continuing.  'They traveled far, and finally came to the other side of the Cuiviénen.  There they halted at last, and decided to swim.  The water was clear and cool, and refreshing to their lithe bodies.

'Gwainferedir was the stronger swimmer of the pair, and he decided to swim out deep into the water.  He moved fast and well through the glittering liquid, and it is said that he called out in Quenya to Finwë, "Finwë my liege-lord and friend!  Come into the deeper water; or would you bathe in the shallows like a water-bird?"  Finwë heard the friendly challenge and his pride was awoken.  "I come, my friend!'  He replied, and began to swim out.

'The rest of the tale is unclear; and my grandfather told it to few, and they forgot it quickly; but it seems that Gwainferedir got into trouble while he dived deeply.  I can only guess that there was weed at the bottom and he became tangled in it; but whatever happened the Elf did not return to the surface as he should have.

'Finwë could not dive as deep or as easy as his friend; but he would face the unknown rather than let Gwainferedir die so.  He went under the water boldly; and only returned to the air when he had freed Gwainferedir from wherever he had been trapped.  The elf-Lord was gasping for air, and had very nearly drowned himself.  Gwainferedir was unconscious, and breath came not from his lips.

'Finwë swum with his friend to the shore; and whence there he breathed air into him and so revived him.  Gwainferedir's thankfulness cannot be measured in words; and it seemed that is was then that he swore to Finwë a renowned vow: "my life is now bound to yours, my Lord and savior, and I would gladly give it up for you to repay this great thing you have done for me.  From now on I stand by your side as your guard, if you will, and ever be ready to save you and yours from any harm."

'And Finwë, touched by his fair friend's words, replied, "I would not have my close companion be bound to me as a servant.  Walk still free, dark haired Gwainferedir.  This small deed I have done can be repaid in other ways than service."

'But Gwainferedir knelt before his Lord, and insisted that he did this thing as a free man, and he was no servant, but merely a loving and grateful elf.  And Finwë then at last agreed to this, and named Gwainferedir the Aratirith of himself and his family, the "high guard".'

Galadriel paused there and smiled.  The look of wonder on Mithmír's face was touching to behold; but Galadriel knew she could not yet have grasped the full implications of this vow.  She continued.

'And so it was for many years.  But then Gwainferedir married one of the kindred that was called the Vanyar, and her name was Nenrandír, the "water pilgrim", a merry wanderer who loved the lake of Cuiviénen dearly.  There was a great love between the Aratirith and his lady, and within a year was born their first child, a girl who was named Cuilantwen, "life's gift".

'Now, it came to be that soon most of the Elves began journeying to Valinor; starting with their long trek to the Sea.  The young Cuilantwen – who now had two brothers, Lhindtirn and Thindheneb – undertook the journey with her parents; and, as Gwainferedir was now guard to that family, Finwë and his folk.  In that time she grew close to Finarfin above all others; and indeed he was like an older brother to her always.  Fëanor she found slightly haughty, or so she told others; and Fingolfin – though kind – always seemed too grown-up and controlled in his thoughts and actions – though this was not always true in later days.  Finarfin was playful and affectionate; he would spin her in his strong arms and make her laugh till tears flew from her eyes.

'There are indeed many tales I could tell you of that journey,' smiled Galadriel, 'but I shall not, for there is not time now, and these stories must bow to those of greater importance.  Time is hastily slipping away, for soon we must return to the others.  Instead I shall continue with this tale:

'Eventually the Elves arrived in Valinor; and there found peace unbounded.  Soon indeed it seemed when Cuilantwen came of age, and then also came a great revelation.  Her father Gwainferedir still acted as the Aratirith, the High Guard, to Finwë; and upon the day when they rejoiced for her new status as a fully grown she-elf, Cuilantwen knelt before Finwë and begged to join her father as an Aratirith, in her case for Finarfin in particular, her close friend.

'She was granted this honour; though many were surprised as well as proud and pleased.  Cuilantwen had always been adventurous and slightly wild; but to chose the life of a guardian warrior… that was a brave thing indeed.  Finarfin was touched; and tried to deny her; but she – and to her surprise Finwë himself – insisted.  Cuilantwen became Aratirith to Finarfin; bound to protect him with her life from any harm; his final line of defense as well as closest friend.  So the fate of the line of Gwainferedir was decided: to be Aratirith to the high house of Finwë; for then and forever.  It was a noble calling, and well suited to them.

'It was so that in a few years Lhindtirn became Aratirith to Fingolfin; and later Thindheneb to Indis; second wife of Finwë.  No more children did come of Gwainferedir and his young wife; and it was not mere coincidence that none of their three offspring swore their lives to my uncle Fëanor; for none of that line of Aratirith ever felt close kinship with that most powerful of Noldor, or would swear their body and soul to protect his.'

There Galadriel paused again.  Mithmír looked over to Tondfael again; and was surprised to see rain-like tears in his deep eyes.  He looked at her without shame, and one fell down over his cheek.

'I remember these times well, and with joy,' he said softly, and then to the Lady Galadriel, 'continue, my Lady, as your own Aratirith begs you to.'

Before Mithmír could make an exclamation of shock – Tondfael is an Aratirith as my mother's kindred were?  Galadriel's Aratirith?! – Galadriel continued, her voice not made any harsher by the long time talking as a mortal's would.

'And eventually Cuilantwen the she-elf Aratirith married a Noldor elf, Padasûl, and they had five children.'  She laughed aloud, the sound cutting through the air like a dreadful, pretty knife.  'I still speak longer than I should, so I shall cut a long story short again, Mithmír: there are only two who directly concern you; Bainuilos, the youngest son, and the second eldest child, Lómwing.'

Tondfael cut in then: Mithmír noticed he had stood up, and the way he inclined his head towards the door made her turn her own head that way.  It was open, and there stood a servant, obviously here to summon them.  'We have no more time for talking tonight, Mithmír.  We may talk more tomorrow, if Lady Galadriel wishes it.'

'I shall talk tomorrow with you,' said Galadriel plainly, and then Mithmír felt the disconcerting voice of the Lady of the Waters in her head: and I shall speak to your dreams tonight, Elven Dúnedain.  By tomorrow you shall already know all of your heritage – and Fondael's.

Mithmír felt frustrated.  'Won't you at least tell me why Bainuilos is important to me?'  She asked, in a half-shout, losing control of her emotions embarrassingly.  'You have told me much, and yet nothing I can link to me.'

Tondfael spun around.  'Do you not understand, lady Mithmír?'  He asked in a cold politeness.  The woman he had sworn to protect for all his time alive, which being an Elf could be always, was potentially being put down verbally; and he stepped in immediately to halt the action.

She shook her head, feeling like a child.

'Then Lómwing's blood was not strengthened by a mortal man's,' he said almost in scorn.  'Maybe you deserve not to know.  Maybe you are not strong enough to take your rightful place as an Aratirith as your ancestors did.'  They stood, bristling with anger, for a long while.  He dropped his head finally, and when he raised it his eyes were sorrowful.  'I am sorry,' he said softly.  'Forgive me.  My words were fueled by unfair anger and I regret them.'

'I forgive you,' she said haltingly, almost too shocked to speak.  Her?  Simple Mithmír Rochiwen?  An Aratirith?  As her mother had been?  She could not picture Lómwing wielding a sword.  But then, she still had much to learn on just how much Lómwing had sacrificed to be with a Dúnedain.  'But,' she said finally, just before he left, 'why are you an Aratirith, a – the – guard of Galadriel?'

He turned to her, and smiled a little.  'Because I am Tondfael, eldest son of Bainuilos, younger brother of Lómwing the Fell-Handed, Aratirith of the house of Finwë.'  He turned away again, and the second before he entered the darkness inside called out in a clear voice, 'and so a cousin to Mithmír, daughter of my aunt, and future Aratirith, if she proves strong enough.'

She went to sleep quickly that night, despite the myriads of questions plaguing her; and then she dreamed as Galadriel had promised…

***

v Gwainferedir: great-grandfather of Mithmír; Noldor Elf, Aratirith of Finwë

v Finwë: Lord of the Noldor

v Nenrandír: wife of Gwainferedir, great-grandmother of Mithmír

v Fingolfin: second-eldest son of Finwë

v Finarfin: youngest son of Finwë

v Fëanor: eldest son of Finwë

v Cuilantwen: eldest child of Gwainferedir, Aratirith of Finarfin, mother of Lómwing

v Lhindtirn and Thindheneb: younger brothers of Cuilantwen

v Padasûl: husband of Cuilantwen

v Lómwing: er… you know this… Mithmír's mother.

v Bainuilos: Father of Tondfael, brother of Lómwing

As you can guess, in the next chapter you find more out about a) Lómwing's sacrifices, b) Tondfael in general, c) the implications of being an Aratirith, and d) Mithmír's place in all of this.  Hoped you enjoyed it and please review!

It all becomes clear soon.  I hope.  Bear with me.  IT WILL BE GOOD.