Special thanks to daw the minstrel for beta-reading this chapter.....

Chapter 5: Lessons are applied

"I will drop it this time," Elrohir said excitedly.

"I will measure," Elladan responded.

The elflings quickly traded places, Elrohir standing on the chair and Elladan kneeling on the floor. Elrohir fished an acorn from his pocket, and dropped it through the ring Istuion had tied to the pole. Elladan scurried after it as it fell to the floor and rolled, using his string to measure how far it traveled. He carefully wrote down the distance on the parchment next to the word acorn and stood for a moment eyeing the numbers.

"I think I am winning," Elladan finally said.

Elrond stood silently in the doorway, glad again for the little entry into the room that allowed him to watch the room's occupants without being seen. Istuion was waiting patiently as Elrohir decided what object he wished to drop next, and Elladan was already scheming as to what his boon should be for winning. Elrond smiled, pleased.

"The marble will beat the acorn," Elrohir called.

"No, the acorn is lighter," Elladan disagreed. "It will move farther."

"The marble will roll better, even though it is heavier, because it is rounder," Elrohir argued.

Elrond stepped into the room. "Suilad, ion-nín," he greeted his children.

"Ada! Come see our expemerent!" Elladan ran to grasp his father's hand and draw him to the activity.

"Experiment," Istuion gently corrected him. "I think it is meal time, though. Are you not hungry?"

"Ada, please let us finish? I think the marble will roll farther!" Elrohir pleaded.

"Please, Ada? I have to show 'Ro the acorn will!" Elladan replied.

"You may finish, then come to the dining room," Elrond laughed. "You may tell me there whether the marble beat the acorn or not."

He nodded to Istuion and smiled, and Istuion returned the smile and nod before returning his attention to his pupils. Elrond made his way to the dining hall and his waiting wife. Celebrían was already present, as were Erestor and Glorfindel and many of the other residents of Imladris. He nodded and greeted a few of the Men who were visiting Imladris before moving to his place at the main table, bending over Celebrían's shoulder for a brief kiss before seating himself.

"Where are Elladan and Elrohir?" Celebrían asked, surprised to see him alone.

"They were not ready to leave their lessons," Elrond replied as he laid his napkin across his lap. He looked up at the surprised faces watching him. "They wanted to finish their experiment," he explained. When no one responded he allowed a smile to creep across his face. "They were having too much fun to stop. It seems Glorfindel's 'way' is rubbing off on others in Imladris."

"The twins were having fun with Istuion?" Erestor asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Elrond replied smugly. "I knew he was going to be a fine tutor. He just needed a little time to develop his teaching style."

Glorfindel grinned. "And his confidence. His mother said he spent all last evening preparing for this lesson. Today's success will breed future success. He has needed that; he came of age during a time when the majority of the adult male elves were away, and his own father and grandfather did not return from Dagorlad. He has much knowledge but little confidence in himself. His mother will be most pleased. "

Elrond tucked that little piece of information away in his mind and quietly listened to the conversations around him. He felt warm fingers grasp his under the table, and Celebrían smiled at him. He felt the touch of her mind to his, and as he allowed her into his heart fully, he felt her love nearly overwhelm him. She had been surprised when a tutor had been engaged for their sons. Her realization that he had employed the young elf because he wished to shepherd Istuion, aid him in becoming the scholar he had the potential to be, gave her a deeper respect and love for this peredhel she called husband.

* * *

"Glorfindel?" Elrohir was grinning as he tugged on the elf-lord's tunic.

"Yes, Elrohir?" Glorfindel turned to the elflings standing behind him. "You are grinning like a cat that has caught the mouse. What mischief are you up to?"

"We need you to help us with our lessons," Elrohir answered, the grin apparently permanently affixed to his face.

"We asked Istuion, but Ada said he needed Istuion's help now," Elladan explained, also smiling brightly.

Glorfindel studied the small faces for a moment. He decided to bite the hook they were dangling. "Very well, I will assist you. What are you learning?"

Elladan produced an old cloak from behind his back. "You have to put this on," Elladan took Glorfindel by the hand and starting pulling him towards the hill, "and come with us."

Glorfindel obediently followed the elflings to the top of the small hill that led to the training field. He put on the old cloak, watching with amusement as the twins each put on a cloak as well.

"Now you have to lie down like this," Elrohir laid himself down on the top of the hill. Glorfindel and Elladan did as directed. "When I say 'start' you have to roll down the hill!"

Glorfindel sat up and looked at the elfling. "I have to do what?" he asked suspiciously.

"It is part of our lesson, Glorfindel! We have to see if big things roll faster than little things," Elrohir explained.

"I am not a 'thing,'" Glorfindel answered, one eyebrow raised.

"You are the same as us just bigger." Elladan saw no flaw in that logic as he pushed the big elf back down on his back. He flopped down beyond Glorfindel and bundled his cloak around him.

"I have not rolled down a hill since I was an elfling!" Glorfindel protested.

"Then it has been way too long," Elrohir shook his head solemnly. The solemn look lasted only for a moment though. The grin reappeared. "Ready? Start!"

Glorfindel rolled his eyes and then closed them as he began to roll down the hill. He could hear the twins shrieking with delight and laughing as they began their own descent. His world spun, and he hit a few rocks, finally coming to rest at the bottom of the hill.

Plop! He had just finished moving when one small elfling landed on his chest. He reached up and rolled that body off himself just before --thwack! And the other one landed on his head.

Their bodies stopped long before their giggles. Elladan stood first and promptly fell back on Glorfindel's abdomen, as he was still dizzy. Elrohir crawled over and sprawled across Glorfindel next to his brother. Glorfindel cautiously opened one eye and waited for the world to stop spinning.

"Well?" he asked, tugging on the first dark braid his fingers came to.

"Well, what?" Elladan rolled over to look at the dizzy adult.

"Who was faster?"

"Well you, of course!" Elladan cried. "We already knew that. We proved it in our expemerent this morning."

Glorfindel shook the elflings off himself, eliciting new laughter, and carefully stood. He looked towards the Last Homely House - and sure enough Elrond, Erestor, Celebrian and Istuion all stood on the library balcony -which had a perfect view of the training field. He turned and looked down at the elflings, who were rolling on the ground laughing. With a sigh, he flopped back down on the ground and hugged the elflings who immediately crawled over to him, one on each side.

"Glorfindel?" Elladan smiled sweetly.

"Yes, Elladan?" Glorfindel stroked the dark hair absently.

"Are you are going to get us back for this?"

"Oh, yes, you can be assured of that. I think I will wait until you are old enough to truly make it worthwhile. After all, it is said that revenge is a dish best served cold," Glorfindel answered mildly, still cuddling the elflings. "Time. I will have much time to plan. . . ."

* * *

Glorfindel joined Elrond and Istuion in the study while the twins were still washing hands and faces, and getting much needed drinks of water.

"Peredhel, we are blessed with long life, are we not?" Glorfindel began without greeting as he walked in the room.

"Yes, Glorfindel, some see it as a blessing," Elrond replied, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth.

"Ada, what does it mean when someone says that revenge is a dish best served cold?" Elrohir asked as he entered the room and went immediately to sit by his father.

"Ah, I believe that means the person wishes to savor their long life," Elrond replied, "and spend much time in thought and planning for the future."

Glorfindel walked to the small couch upon which Istuion was seated and sat down next to the younger elf. He sat very close to said elf - shoulder-to-shoulder and knee-to-knee. Istuion scooted to the edge of the seat, but Glorfindel seemed to expand into the space that was vacated.

"Did the 'expemerents' proceed as expected this morning?" Glorfindel inquired pleasantly.

"Yes, my lord," Istuion nearly whispered.

"The pen-neth learned all they were supposed to?" he further inquired.

"Yes, they seemed to rather enjoy the lesson," Istuion whispered.

Glorfindel leaned close. "That is good. I am very glad to see them applying what they have learned. But be careful - they may appear harmless and adorable, but inside they are their father's sons." Istuion raised his eyes and met the gaze of the Balrog-slayer. Glorfindel smiled, and reached over and grasped Istuion's wrist in the warrior greeting. "Well done."

Istuion let out a long sigh of relief as Glorfindel stood and took his usual spot, the twins quickly climbing up on either side of him.

"Where did we leave off?" he asked.

"Maedhros was getting ready to attack!" Elladan's eyes grew big as he recalled the spot in the story.

"Grandmother Elwing was watching the sea," Elrohir remembered.

"So they were," Glorfindel replied, "and a messenger had been sent to Cirdan the Shipwright, requesting that he come back to Sirion immediately…

~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~

"How quickly can we gather our forces?" Maedhros asked quietly, breaking the early morning silence he shared with Maglor and breakfast. He turned from the window out of which he had been staring, and directed the intense gaze upon his brother.

Maglor paused to wipe his lips before meeting his brother's eyes. "There is rumor that Amrod and Amras hunt in the plains to the south. It would take us no longer than a fortnight." Maglor watched as Maedhros turned again to the window. He ever watched south, his mind consumed with the Silmaril held in Sirion.

"Make ready, Maglor. Send word to our brothers that we seek again to fulfill our oath."

"You do not mean to wait for an answer from Elwing? The messenger shall not return in this season."

"I believe our hope lies in surprise," Maedhros answered. "They will expect another missive; and in the delay it would take to carry such a missive they will believe they have purchased time. We shall not gift them with such reprieve. We will fall upon them unawares and take back that which is rightfully ours."

Maglor was silent as he pondered his brother's words. Perhaps there was merit in this tactic. Unprepared, Elwing might surrender the jewel and save her people from certain ruin. The element of surprise might be in their favor. He met his brother's eyes. "We shall make ready." But his eyes spoke only of sorrow.

* * *

Elwing could hear the young voices of her sons as she approached their nursery. Liriel sat with them, as she did each afternoon while Elwing took counsel with Eregdos. No tidings had reached them this day. The messenger had been sent to Maedhros, to his fortress, which lay over a hundred leagues to the north. Elwing was comforted by this distance, comforted that Cirdan and Gil-Galad would come before Maedhros could rise against them. Perhaps even Eärendil would return from his voyage.

"Mine!" Elros's squeal could be heard in the hallway.

Elwing watched from the corridor as the small tower of blocks fell to the ground and Elros jumped up and down, cheering. "Fall down! Blocks fall down!" He plopped back down on the floor immediately and began gathering the blocks around his brother. Elrond waited patiently until Elros had moved the blocks back within his reach, and then he began to stack the blocks into a tower.

Elros jumped to his feet and began to run around the room, circling it twice all the while chattering with himself, his brother, and Liriel - although neither of the latter could have slipped in a word of their own. Elros answered his own questions with amazing speed.

"Go!" Elrond called as he scooted back on the floor and away from his tower.

Elros charged the tower, kicking out the lower blocks and then falling to his knees in the midst of the rubble. Laughing, he rolled to his back, his head landing neatly in his brother's lap. Elrond patted his head. Elros was ready to have Elrond build another tower for him to destroy, but Elrond had tired of that game. He slipped from under his brother and got to his feet, then wandered to his bookshelf. He slid down against the low shelf, pulling out a picture book and quickly withdrawing into sketches of ships and elves in far away places.

"Nana!" Elros spied his mother in the doorway. "Come play!" He ran to her and buried his head in her skirts, hugging her leg as she walked into the playroom.

Elrond looked up from his book, and his face lit up with a smile. He jumped to his feet and raced across the short distance, flinging himself into Elwing's arms and burying his head in her shoulder. She settled herself to the floor, Elrond in her lap and Elros already pushing blocks to her.

"Have they slept this afternoon?" Elwing turned to Liriel who sat with her ever-present tapestry in her hands, deft fingers weaving colorful strands of thread into scenes depicting the fall of Doriath, their escape, and their settlement at the Havens of Sirion. She had worked on it for as long as Elwing could recollect, from her earliest memories as a child after Doriath fell. Liriel was working this day on the ships of Cirdan, the larger crafts in the bay off the Isle of Balar, and smaller boats hidden in the reeds along the coastline.

"No, Elros did not wish to rest until he had seen his nana," Liriel smiled indulgently at the small bundle of energy tugging at his mother's skirt.

Elwing drew Elros up into her lap next to Elrond. "Would you like me to read you a story before you rest?" Elrond nodded sleepily, while Elros pulled away from his mother and ran to the bookshelf. He picked up the book Elrond had been looking at and carried it back to his mother and brother.

"Elrond's book," he proclaimed, placing it in Elwing's hands as he settled back into her lap.

Elwing smiled and kissed the top of that small head. She rose gracefully, a child in each arm, and settled herself on the comfortable couch near the window. She opened the book, and began to weave for them the tale that accompanied the pictures, of how Cirdan sailed the seas, traveling the Havens and fighting Morgoth at each stop. She had read for only a few moments when she felt Elrond curl into her slightly as he drifted into sleep. Elros began to slip off her lap only a few minutes later, his thumb in his mouth.

"Did I suck my thumb?" Elwing asked Liriel.

Liriel laughed softly. "No, but Elurín did. Eluréd did as an infant, but Elurín continued, especially at night, until he was much older.

"I do not suppose it causes any harm." Elwing tugged gently on the small hand, pulling the thumb from Elros' mouth, but as soon as she let go, it settled back to its favored location.

"No, he only falls asleep that way. That short time is not harming him and seems to comfort him. If he continues there are some remedies that will help cure the habit," Liriel reassured her.

Elwing lifted them both gently and laid them in their cradle. Elros immediately stretched out full length, then curled up and rolled over, moving until he was comfortable. Elrond lay peacefully until Elros ceased squirming; then one small hand searched the sheet next to him. Finally finding his twin, Elrond wormed his way closer and cuddled up within reach, small bodies just touching.

"It is a joy to watch them sleep," Elwing murmured, her arms resting on the side of the cradle.

Her joy was abruptly ended as Eregdos entered the room. "Elwing, you must come!" The urgency in his voice was unmistakable, despite the low tone he used to avoid waking the children. "Liriel, stay here. I will send word to you in a few moments."

Elwing was already on her feet, wrapping her shawl about her shoulders, and hastening after Eregdos. "What is it?" she asked as soon as they were clear of the room.

"Maedhros," Eregdos answered shortly, his hand on her elbow as he guided her down the stone passageway.

"He cannot have received our letter and responded so quickly!"

"No, he could not have," Eregdos agreed. "He either did not send his last letter from Himring or he did not wait for our reply before coming here."

"He is here?" Elwing cried.

"Yes," Eregdos answered abruptly. "The eastern patrol sent out scouts this morning, as they normally do. Maedhros approaches with his banner displayed for all to see. The scout reported to the eastern captain, who sent messengers here as swiftly as they might arrive."

"How long until Cirdan arrives?"

"I do not know," Eregdos stopped in the hall and met her gaze solidly. "Our messenger has not yet returned. We do not know if Cirdan has received our request for assistance. We cannot count on aid from the sea."

Elwing felt despair sweep over her. "Can we defend against them? What says Celeborn?"

"Celeborn is arranging our defenses. We are awaiting an estimate of the approaching force before we will know if we can defend against them."

Elwing grasped the Silmaril, which she had begun wearing close that she might flee with it, if necessary.

"We cannot let them have it," she said quietly. "Eärendil was emphatic, Eregdos."

"I know, Elwing," Eregdos answered, his head bowed. "Tuor and Eärendil believe that the Silmaril is important; they have held it in the hopes of learning how so, and why, should they reach the home of the Valar."

"Perhaps we can hold them off until reinforcements arrive," Elwing allowed Eregdos to continue to lead her to the Great Hall. Her heart told her otherwise.

* * *

Mere minutes had passed when a horn sounded from the western border of the city. Eregdos, Elwing and the others flew to the western window of the hall. The sound of hooves beating upon the rock was heard next, and then another messenger appeared in the hall, out of breath and fear in his eyes.

"We are under attack from the north-west!" The soldier quickly related details of the advancing force.

As the advisors and captains gathered to hear his words, Eregdos drew Elwing aside. "Do you have the Silmaril?" When she nodded, he continued. "You must prepare to flee. We are surrounded on land, so you must go by sea. Take Liriel and your sons and prepare for a sea journey."

Elwing nodded and hurried back to her chambers. Liriel was waiting in the door.

"Liriel, pack some clothing and small toys for the children. Prepare yourself as well. We must flee by sea," Elwing told her hastily. "We are under attack."

The noise of battle quickly drew near as Maedhros' forces quickly overran the defenses at the city wall, and pushed forward through the streets to the Great Hall. Maedhros' strategy was focused on the Silmaril, and he knew it resided in Elwing's possession. He led his men through the Havens, cutting down those who dared resist him. The streets ran red with the blood of elves, and the cries of the injured and dying sounded in all their ears. A tumult arose behind him, and Maedhros turned to see his own warriors fighting amongst themselves. He rode between them.

"These are of the Noldor!" cried one warrior.

"It matters not!" answered another. "They stand in our way. They shall be cut down as any of the rest!"

"Your own cousin is here! Lady Galadriel has also been seen!"

A host of the elves stopped at this, and Maedhros found himself facing treason. "We will not kill our own kin," the foremost to Maedhros cried.

Maedhros raised his sword. "Then you shall die with them!" He brought the sword down upon the man's shoulder where his armor was weakest and watched dispassionately as the head nearly split from the body.

Spurred on by his action, those loyal to Maedhros now swarmed forward to cut down those of their own forces who opposed them. In that moment, brother killed brother and father killed son; a travesty from which few would recover.

His sword raised high in the air, Maglor rode in from the flanking forces. "Amrod and Amras have breached the western wall! The city is falling!" The oldest sons of Fëanor raced forward together toward where the object of their desire lay.

Inside the Great Hall, Eregdos led Elwing and Liriel, each holding one of the children, out a side door, and they ran for the shore.

"Our people are being slaughtered." Elwing stated it more as a fact than a question.

All three were suddenly drawn to look back by the sound of thundering hoof beats across the stone walkway above them at the entrance to the Hall.

"Maedhros!" Elwing recognized the elf with only one hand.

Maedhros and Maglor saw the figures fleeing across the rocks below them. "Elwing!" Maedhros cried. "Surrender!"

Elwing thrust Elros into Liriel's right arm as Liriel shifted Elrond completely into her left. "Go on to the beach! I will lead them away from you!"

Maedhros and Maglor ran down the stairs in pursuit.

Eregdos stopped and drew his sword, and turned to face them. Another had joined them, an elf with red hair. Amras. The elf's eyes were ablaze with anger, and he surged ahead of his older brothers. Eregdos deftly sidestepped the elf, and swinging his sword in a full arc, he slew the youngest son of Fëanor. In the next moment, he joined him in death as Maglor's blade cut him through. He had had no opportunity to put on his mail or armor; his only concern had been to see Elwing, the children, and the Silmaril safely away. He felt little pain as his life's blood spilled upon the rocks. His dying glimpse was of Elwing running to the high cliff and away from the path to the shore.

Elwing turned and saw Eregdos fall. She screamed her grief to the wind to see this one who had been her advisor - a friend who had been by her side since Doriath fell - cut down by the sword. Maglor and Maedhros continued to race towards her. She climbed until she could climb no further. There was nothing but the sea, nowhere to go but the sea. They would kill her if they reached her. She looked back once more, but could no longer see Liriel or her sons.

"Then the sea shall have us!" she cried to the wind. She dropped the pack she had been carrying and ran for the edge of the high cliff, flinging herself into the foam below.

"No!" Maedhros screamed as he saw Elwing fall. He continued his ascent to the edge of the cliff in time to see a great force rise from the sea. A swirling mist of water and foam appeared to catch and lift Elwing's body. Suddenly a white bird appeared, gliding gently out of the spray, the Silmaril bound to its breast. Maedhros heard the twang of a bow behind him, and saw the arrow fly, but it was knocked askew by a tendril of water that rose from the depths of the tumultuous sea below them.

Maglor and Maedhros stood at the edge of the cliff and watched as the white bird soared into the distance, taking with it the only Silmaril that had ever been within their reach in Middle-Earth.

"It is the work of Ulmo," Maglor said softly, awe in his voice.

"Amras is dead." Maedhros had turned back to the Havens, and saw the fallen bodies of his youngest brother and the elf who had opposed him.

"As is Amrod," Maglor replied. "We are all that remain of the Sons of Fëanor. For the Simarilli our father died and now five of our brothers. Yet not one have we recovered." Maglor had dropped to his knees on the stones as the waves broke on the rocks behind him, and he keened his loss, the song mixed with strands of the Noldolantë.

"I hear children," Maedhros interrupted his brother's grieving. "Elwing's children must yet live. Come!"

Maedhros began to run toward the path that led to the shore. Maglor felt fear and pity stir in his heart. He rose to his feet and sprinted to catch up to his brother. They came upon the she-elf and children not far down the path. In the reeds lay Liriel, blood seeping from an arrow wound to her shoulder. Next to her were the sons of Elwing. One of the two was attempting to stop the bleeding with his small fingers, and her blood covered his hands and face and clothing. The other stood next to her. Both were sobbing.

"Do not harm them!" Maglor called in anguish as Maedhros reached for the standing child. He reached the other child a moment later.

Maedhros had picked up Elros and was holding the child in his large hand. Elros sobbed and swung at him, and he drew the child to his chest, restraining the kicking feet and swinging arms.

Maglor gently pulled Elrond away from the injured elf and saw her eyes flutter open. "Please do not hurt them," she whispered.

"I will not, my Lady," Maglor replied gently. "What are their names?"

"You have Elrond," Liriel managed. "The other is Elros. Please, take them to the shore. Their kin will care for them."

"They come with us," Maedhros commanded. He kicked the pack that had fallen next to Liriel. "Bring this."

Maglor swung the pack over his shoulder and picked up the child called Elrond. The child did not fight him, but as they walked away he turned to look back over Maglor's shoulder to the nanny he had loved, his small hands reaching out to her. Liriel watched with tears streaming down her face as Elwing's sons were carried away.

~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~

"Ada?" Elrond was brought back to the present by Elrohir tugging at his sleeve. He looked down at his son and saw tears streaming down the elfling's face. He lifted the child into his lap, and then picked up Elladan who had joined them. They both hugged him tight about the neck.

"Ada, were you scared?" Elrohir spoke the muffled words into Elrond's ear.

Elrond's eyes were dark with memory. "I do not remember much of that day, for I was very small - much younger than even you," he answered. "I remember my nana reading to me. I remember Maglor carrying me away, and Lady Liriel crying."

"Did Lady Liriel die, Ada?" Elladan asked.

Glorfindel had moved to sit next to Elrond and the twins. "No," he answered for Elrond. "Lady Liriel was found and treated for her wounds, and when Cirdan did arrive they moved her to Balar."

"Did you ever see your nana again, Ada? After she became a bird?" Elladan asked.

"No, Elladan," Elrond answered, his eyes closing. He stroked the child's back gently. "The fate of my nana and ada was decided by the Valar. Part of that fate was that they could not return to Middle-Earth."

"So you had to stay with Maedhros and Maglor?" Elrohir was indignant. "They were bad!"

"What they did was wrong," Elrond finally responded. "But not everything they did was bad." He drew back from the twins so he could see both their faces. "Maglor grew to love us - my brother and me. I will tell you more about them tomorrow."

Elrohir and Elladan were content with that response, and they cuddled up with heads under their Ada's chin once again. There was silence in the room for a few moments.

"Glorfindel?"

"Yes, Elladan?" Glorfindel smiled at the elfling.

"Some of Maedhros' warriors did not follow orders."

"No, they did not," Glorfindel replied. He pondered his words carefully. "While you are young, you may trust that any order given to you by your ada, or myself, or Erestor or any of the others here in Imladris is a good order and you should obey it. When you get older, we will teach you about giving orders - and how it is the responsibility of the one giving the order to know if the order is good or bad. Maedhros gave a bad order - an order to kill elves. Some of his warriors did disobey him. They did the right thing."

"They still died," replied Elladan softly.

"Yes, they did," Glorfindel answered.

* * *

Elrond awoke that night to the soft patter of small feet on the hard wood floors of his chamber. He could feel Celebrían stir at his side as she also sensed the presence of others in the room. He held out his arms to his sons, and they ran the last few feet into their Ada's embrace.

"Are you scared? Did you have a bad dream?" Elrond whispered to them.

"No, Ada," Elladan answered.

"Are you unable to sleep?" Elrond asked next.

The twins were silent, and Elrond moved back a bit from the edge of the bed and lifted them to lie next to him. They cuddled up close, Elrohir in the crook of his arm and Elladan across his chest. He thought they had fallen asleep when a small voice finally spoke.

"Ada, will you or Nana ever leave us?"

Elrond heard Celebrían's breath catch, and he knew she was awake and listening.

"It would be wrong of me to say that we will never, ever leave, because none of us know what the future holds. But your Nana and I do not intend to ever leave you."

There was more silence as elflings digested this information. The next question left Elrond struck through as with a sharp knife, the pain slicing to his very core.

"Ada, if you had to choose between giving up a great jewel or staying with us, which would you choose?"

* * * * *
Ada - - - - Dad/Father
Nana - - - Mom/Mother
Pen-neth- - young ones
Suilad-------Greetings
ion-nin------my son 

Authors Notes:

For those familiar with the Tale of Years (HOME The War of the Jewels), I will be using the timelines laid out in it for the course of events at the end of the first age.