Many thanks to Lady Akyrial who pointed out the problems with the grammar etc. As soon as I have time I shall be returning to the earlier chapters and correcting them.

In this chapter I mention Rumil as being quite tipsy. I am not sure about elves and alcohol – in my mind I find it hard to believe that they drank alcohol to excess. I apologise if you think that Rumil getting tipsy is un-elf like, for I think it too…But I'm not changing it now!

Also, Lady Akryail explained more to me about violence with the elves – such as Idril hitting Rumil (I think) in one of the earlier chapters. I had not thought of it in that way, and I will try to remove any allusions to violence like that in future.

Also Lady Akryail said that in America they used "example" those to denote speech. In all the Australian books I have, speech is confined by 'another example' these, so I'll keep using them. It would be much too much effort to go through everything and change it all.

I'm posting again so soon because I feel like I'd rather get this all over and done with. I thought up a small plot bunny (very American, that phrase sounds to me!) last night that I'd like to think about a little more.

Varne

Chapter 7: Memories (Part 3 and last of Flashback Saga No. 1)

Rumil had had quite enough to drink for one night. He was not drunk, he told himself. He was merely just that little bit more than tipsy. The brothers' secret stash of Dorwinian wine having been tapped dry during the last Celebrations, they had to resort to merely having more than usual miruvor. Very much more than usual miruvor!

He was debating on whether he dared to venture towards the miruvor himself, or get one of his less-tipsy friends to do so for him, when he heard himself being addressed quietly from behind.

He turned, to find a maiden wearing an ill-fitting (though that fact only registered in his mind the next day) plain red and gold mask which almost clashed with her primrose and silver dress. Though he had drunk too much to be surprised, he was slightly incredulous when the maiden bent towards his ear, secretively, placing a note in his hand as she whispered to him.

'As I promised…I look forward to meeting you…'

And then she was gone. Rumil shook his head, as if trying to clear his head of the alcohol, as one clears water from ones ears.

'I truly have had enough to drink. Imagining beautiful, alluring elleths…'

He had almost completely convinced himself of his imagining the interlude, when he gradually became aware of the paper in his hand.

'Good gracious.'

He fumbled to open the note, dropping it once or twice in his inebriation, but finally opened it.

"As I promised, I will meet you in a short time

At the bench near the waterfall…Wait for me,

if I am late. Only you could I love… from your

own love"

'Dear me.'

Rumil could not remember ever making an assignation with any elleth. Truthfully, of late he had been too busy to think about elleths…

'How long have I been tipsy?' Rumil asked to the open air. As the open air had no idea, or at least did not reply, he continued with his monologue.

'Perhaps I did make an assignation…Very pleasant looking elleth…I would not mind seeing her…She says she loves me! Goodness!'

Rumil, quite decided, slowly wended his way towards the waterfall…

Giggling hysterically, Idril quickly returned to Glorfindel, who had covered his face in her silver fox mask. They exchanged masks, as they had done before, with Idril promising not to look at Glorfindel's face - a promise she only made because it was quite close to midnight.

'It worked?' Glorfindel asked.

'I believe so! He sat there for some five minutes afterwards, with a 'pondering' expression on his face, and then he suddenly got up and swerved his way towards the waterfall!!!'

With a hearty laugh, Glorfindel tugged a strand of Rilla's hair.

'You're a minx, no doubt about it! Please tell me once again why we are revenging your goodly self upon poor Rumil?'

'Because he has been utterly impossible of late…He teases me constantly about…about someone I met a long time ago in rather … ridiculous circumstances!'

Glorfindel was intrigued. He could sense that whatever Rumil had been teasing Rilla about, she actually found it irritating or embarrassing…

'Will you not tell me? I promise not to laugh…' Seeing her incredulous look, he continued, '…too much!'

'I…suppose I can. It might be a relief to tell it to a stranger…Though you claim that you are not!'

'Indeed no! But please, continue!'

'Well…to tell you quickly - for it will be midnight soon! - when I was an elfling…fifteen to be precise, Rumil told me that if I was naughty too often, Mandos would take me to his domain…'

Glorfindel, comprehension lighting his eyes, smiled surreptitiously.

'So, one day, I was running away from Haldir… I can not remember why…Is that not a silly thought? Running away from Haldir! Impossible!' she laughed, and glanced at Glorfindel. 'It is funny how all it takes is a few years of experience for one to grow wise about what you can and can not do with your brothers…!'

Observing an answering grin, she continued.

'So, I was running away from him, when I suddenly ran into someone. I immediately thought it was rather funny…I had run into someone, running away from someone else…and I was hoping it was not Haldir, when I looked up. I saw, or I thought I saw, Mandos!'

She shook her head, with a face of wry amusement and distaste of the memory.

'It was awful! I thought Mandos had, like Rumil had said, come to take me away because I had run away from Haldir again! I tried to run away from him, but then I ran into Haldir.'

She laughed, 'I told him that I would be good if he did not let Mandos take me away…Of course he was incredibly confused, for he knew that the ellon I had run was definitely not Mandos. So he sorted it all out. But none of them have let me forget that for the next ten years of so of my life, the ellon who I thought was Mandos was like a hero to me. Elflings are like that, you know.'

She looked up at Glorfindel with an informative glance,

'I thought he was wonderful - incredibly handsome, awe-inspiring… I called him 'Mandy' and chatted to my brothers about how wonderful he was, how nice he was, and how brave and strong he was… So when I got older - in the past few years - they have never stopped teasing me, for there is always the chance the ellon will come back here.'

Glorfindel, attempting to keep a natural face, coughed uneasily and asked,

'And when…I mean, why did you stop…er, worshipping this ellon?'

'Well…as I got older, and thought more about him, I realised I did not want to meet him again.'

Seeing Glorfindel's surprised look, she went on.

'You see, I was afraid that the glorious,' Glorfindel winced at the word, 'Picture of this ellon I worshipped was merely exaggeration on an elflings part…Even now, I do not want to meet him! I am quite happy remembering that wonderful elf, without him turning up here, and turning out to be …'

'Turning out to be, what exactly?'

'Well…I do not know…' She thought hard about it, 'Boring? Old? Uninteresting? Pompous? It would be truly awful…' She finished with a shake of her head.

'And the name of this ellon..? Will you tell me?'

Glorfindel noticed she glanced at his hair – an action that confused him.

'Well, I can you that you are not from Rivendell' Glorfindel started 'For your hair is golden…So I will tell you. He was…Lord Glorfindel…'

Delighted at her lack of common sense (which would have told her that Lord Glorfindel had golden hair and resided at Rivendell, and also that she had dark hair that was uncommon in Lothlorien), Glorfindel felt a mixture of emotions about discovering the feelings this charming young elleth had had about him…

Suddenly, all the noise of the celebrations died down. Turning around, Glorfindel and Idril noticed the Lady Galadriel upon a makeshift platform. She addressed the crowd, greeting them in her usual, graceful, diplomatic way. At the end of her short speech, she announced that it was time of the removal of masks.

A hubbub of noise erupted, shrieks of laughter were heard - Idril turned to Glorfindel with an expectant look on her face.

'Well? Hurry up then! I wish to know who you are!'

With a wry smile, and a quick thought about what her reaction would be, and whether she would recognise him, he undid the laces of his mask and smiled at her.

Her face showed shock, and a little horror.

'Lord Glorfindel!' Her horror was slowly being engulfed by anger.

Seeing the need for a speedy intervention before she ran away or scolded him to the skies, he possessed himself of her hands.

'Rilla, please do not be angry with me! I could not resist the temptation to discover your true self without having to fight your prejudices against me!'

Seeing she was still not placated, he quickly continued before she could speak.

'Rilla, please! We have had a delightful time together, have we not? I am sorry for deceiving you, but I told you from the very beginning that I would not inform you who I was until midnight! I am sorry I made you tell me about our… previous meeting…'

With a look that could melt the hardest of hearts, he went on,

'Rilla…please forgive me! Let us be friends!'

She was silent for a few moments, then laughed, and turning, took her hands away from him.

'I should have known! You are…terribly wicked, my lord!'

'Oh, no you do not! No 'my lording' if you please! We are friends! It will just be Glorfindel - and I am calling you Rilla whether you like it or not - and I suspect you must like it for Haldir informs me that is what you are best known as!'

With a gasp, Idril turned to him.

'You have been talking to Haldir!'

With a benignant smile, Glorfindel agreed.

'Yes indeed! Who else would have informed me of what you were wearing so I could discover you?'

'That! That! Oh! Am I going to revenge myself upon him for that!'

With a laugh, Glorfindel put Idril's arm through his.

'I am at your service, milady!'

-End of Flashback-

Flooded with remembrance and regret, Idril rushed to her flet before her tears could not be held back any longer. Oh, how fun that night had been! How wonderful Glorfindel…no. He was not wonderful. He had left her just after they were betrothed!

Lady Wednesday, you have stricken me with guilt! I am afraid...very afraid, that Glorfindel and Rilla don't meet up in 'present' time until...well...quite close to the end! However, I thought it was necessary to build up the back story...It might have been better for me to do so in a less unconventional way (all these flashbacks are tedious. lol) but oh well! And about the length...oo dear...this one is shorter I think...I'll post a chapter a day to make up for it, k?!