Rory stared at Elrond in surprise. 'What happened to you?' she asked.
'Have you heard of the Silmarils? And the Sons of Feanor those who sought the gems beyond all reason because of the oath they took.'
She had, but wondered what they had to do with Elrond, and said so.
'My mother Elwing fled the massacre of her people in Doriath. She was only young, but she had brought the Simaril Beren and Luthien had taken from Morgoth with her.'
'She settled with in Sirion with what was left of her people. There she met my father, Earendil.'
Rory's eyes were wide with surprise, 'Earendil is your father! I never knew. That's fairly impressive, you know Elrond'.
'I do not remember my father. He left to sail to Valinor when I was very small, and my brother Elros was even younger. I only know what others have told me of him'.
'That's no good. But I never even met my father' said Rory. She hesitated, and then asked, 'What about your mother?'
'Aahh, my mother. I do remember her, a little. She had dark hair, and a beautiful voice, and I remember her playing with me when I was not much more than a baby. But over time, the Silmaril she possessed gradually took hold of her mind. It was not so bad when Father was there, but when he left there was no one to keep Mother, well sane would be the best way to put it.'
'The Silmaril made your mother lose her mind!' gasped Rory, shocked.
Elrond nodded, 'Not only my mother, they even drove their creator, Feanor insane in the end. You see, these gems were too much for any eye and mind to behold for long, their beauty was too great, and over time they would take hold of a person's mind, but not necessarily in an evil way like the One Ring, for example. The Silmarils have been made holy by the Valar, and they are not evil in themselves, nor could they be used for evil, but the desire to possess one, and then to keep it safe could undo the strongest mind.'
'I see. But wasn't it Feanor's crazy oath that sent him over the edge?' asked Rory.
'Do you think a sane mind would have sworn that oath? I know Feanor was stricken with grief over his murdered father, and angry the Valar would not help in his quest to avenge that murder, but no one in their right mind would have taken that oath'.
'What of Feannor's sons then? Were they all crazy too like their father?'
' I came to know one of Feanor's sons very well, and in the beginning, they were not insane, but over time the effects of the oath, and the deeds they did in it's name drove them insane too', Elrond replied, a sad look on his face.
'How did you become friends with one of Feanor's sons? I thought they would have been the enemies of your family?' asked Rory.
'They were. My mother's brothers, as little children were left to starve and die in a forest after the sacking of Doriath. When, several years later the last survivors of the oath takers, Maethros and Maglor destroyed Sirion, and drove my mother to leap from the Tower, taking the Silmaril with her, Maethros wanted to kill my brother and I. Maglor prevented him, for he remembered Elwing's abandoned brothers and he took pity on us and took us into his household and reared us.' The sad look on Elronds's face intensified, 'He was kind to us, and we grew to love him as our foster father. Many times he spoke to us of the Oath, and the great love thathe and his brothers had for their father that constrained them to take the Oath with him. I know he deeply regretted that, and his actions as a result of it.'
'What happened to Maglor? I know Maethros threw himself into a volcano when he discovered that he could not keep the stolen Silmaril, and that Maglor threw his gem into the sea, but what happened to him?' asked Rory.
'He wanders Middle Earth, alone. He did appear during the Last Alliance and fought as a foot soldier, I tried to see him once or twice but he would not see me.' Elrond sighed deeply, 'All I wanted was to help Maglor if I could, but I think he believed I had some sort of grudge against him, if so how wrong he was'.
Rory was quietly thinking on all Elrond had told her, and why. 'You understand loss, too, Elrond is this why you are telling me all this?'
'Partly. And partly because sometimes I need to talk to someone who understands. Gil-Galad did, but he has dead more than three thousand years. My brother Elros', and here Rory was surprised to see tears in Elrond's eyes, 'well, all know he choose to be mortal, so there is no one left who understands my early life'.
Rory was really confused. She and Elrond were sitting on a retaining wall, telling each other their sad pasts and crying, and she had no idea why.
After a bit, Elrond dried his eyes, and Rory said, 'I guess we both had a rough time as kids. You're right that abandonment by your parents has a deep effect on people, I'd never thought like that before.' Suddenly she grabbed Elrond's hand 'How did you manage to get over your past, and turn into such a nice guy'
Elrond gave a soft giggle. 'For years I was like you, rejecting love; I too felt no one could love me if my mother could not. Then I met Celebrian.'
'Your wife' guessed Rory.
'Yes, and a very determined lady. It took her a thousand years to convince me that she really did love me. Once I could accept her and her love for me into my life, my fears and insecurities vanished. I only occasionally think of my early life, when something or someone reminds me.'
'I see' said Rory.
'Do you', asked Elrond, 'do you really understand what I have tried to tell you today?'
'I think that you are telling me to give Jessryn a chance because if things worked out between us, then he might be able to help me get over my past?'
'Yes, exactly that. You must remember that Jessryn has had an unhappy family life too. His mother died when he was very young, and all of his older brothers except Legolas have been cruel to Jessryn, so he will understand you if you give him a chance.'
Rory pulled a face. 'Ok, Elrond because you want me to, I will be nice to him.'
'Yes, and do keep your appointment with him this afternoon, I know Jessryn well enough to know that he will not put in you in uncomfortable situation.'
'I'll be good, or at least I will try very hard.'
'Promise me'.
'Ok, Ok, I promise'.
Rory then took her leave of Elrond, and continued her walk, wondering how the heck she had been silly enough to promise to be nice to Jessryn, and more than a little scared of seeing Jessryn later that day.