Sisters they were, yet one was nightingale dark, the other bright as a goldfinch in the summer sun. Shivering, the younger turned her face from the pale stone walls that soared into silver-mirrored sky.

“Look, there lies the White City,” their mother smiled.

“It is beautiful,” the dark one whispered. “Finduilas, look how it glitters like a jewel between earth and sky!”

“I see only stone where I would look upon the sea.” And tears like dew glimmered on golden lashes.

“Hush now, little one,” said her mother with a kiss. “You shall have the sea again by and by.”

* * *

Author’s note:

It is said in The Peoples of Middle Earth that Finduilas of Dol Amroth had one elder sister, Ivriniel. The original inspiration - of two sisters, one dark and one fair were Rhyanidd and Ness in Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Lantern Bearers.

With thanks to Arquen whose fanged creature I picked up from the Prospective Challenges forum at HASA!