Chapter 12 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12



Gilthoniel lay in bed that night, thinking about what Findiel had told her. She couldn't believe that his own father had sent him away from home because a maid had said he had killer his brother. Findiel was one of the nicest people Gilthoniel knew, she couldn't believe that anyone who ever think he killed someone.

Gilthoniel hoped to be able to talk to Findiel about what had happened, but, over the next couple of days, she was rarely left alone with Findiel. Galdor always wanted to go riding with her or to take a walk with her through the forest.

One bright sunny morning, and Gilthoniel had woken up meaning to go walking with Elendil. The she-wolf was now getting old, and whenever Gilthoniel had a chance she looked after her as best as she could.

She had just picked up her bow and arrows when there came a knock on her door. `Come in.' Gilthoniel called, and beamed as it was Findiel who stepped into her room.

`Yes Findiel, what is it?' She said, somewhat distractedly, as she was prepared to leave.

`Lady Galadriel wishes to see you at once.'

`And what for, because if it is some stupid problem that Galadriel needs me to help with, tell her she should just make do without me.' Gilthoniel crossed her arms impatiently.

`She didn't tell me anything.'

`Fine, I'll go.' Gilthoniel knelt down beside Elendil and gazed into the she-wolf's eyes. `I am so sorry,' she said, stoking her muzzle. `Maybe tomorrow.'

Gilthoniel straightened up and followed Findiel to a dimly lit chamber. Galadriel was standing there, placidly with Galdor beside her. When Gilthoniel entered Galdor rushed forward to greet her.

`Gilthoniel,' Galadriel said. `I am so glad you came. Galdor, please leave us.'

Galdor left Gilthoniel and Galadriel and Gilthoniel turned to face Galadriel, who looked very pleased about something.

`I have some good news, my child. Galdor has asked for your hand in marriage.'

Gilthoniel choked and coughed. Then she spluttered `What!'

`Yes, he came just now and asked me.'

`But I don't want to marry Galdor.'

`You don't have a choice.'

`Why not?'

`Gilthoniel, do not annoy me!' Galadriel grabbed Gilthoniel by the shoulders. `Galdor has asked me to tell you that he will not stop until you are his bride, and I don't care if you don't like it. You will marry him, and that is it!'

Galadriel let go of Gilthoniel and sighed. `At least give it a while to sink in, I am sure that you will love him dearly, when you realize it. Yes, think it over for a few days.'

Gilthoniel left the room and ran off to try and find Findiel. He had to be around somewhere.

He was. Gilthoniel found him sitting in the forest with Fëanor, laughing and joking about some rubbish. Gilthoniel was about to run over there when Fëanor did something that made Gilthoniel's blood boil.

Fëanor leaned over towards Findiel and kissed him. Gilthoniel seethed in anger and turned away, about to run off when Findiel called her name.

`Gilthoniel, come over here.'

Gilthoniel turned and tried to look happy and completely oblivious to what had just happened as she strode over to where they sat. Findiel jumped up as she approached and Fëanor, who always seemed to do what Findiel did now, stood up beside him.

`Congratulations Gilthoniel,' Fëanor said patronizingly.

`Congratulations about what?'

`The engagement.' Fëanor looked shocked, and put her arm around Findiel. `We heard you are going to get married to Galdor.'

`What, oh yes, that.' Gilthoniel said, trying to stop herself from ripping out Fëanor's Jugular vein.

`We have some good news too.' Findiel said proudly.

`We're getting married too!' Fëanor cried happily and Gilthoniel turned away from them and ran as fast as she could back toward Lórien.



Inside the room where Gilthoniel and Findiel usually practice together, Gilthoniel set up a target and practiced archery alone. She hadn't said anything to anyone since she had seen Fëanor and Findiel in the forest and didn't care. She was too angry to say anything. She simply fitted arrow after arrow into her bow and shoot them at the target, which now resembled a pincushion.

She had just fitted another arrow into her bow as the door behind her opened. Gilthoniel swung around and shoot the arrow at the door. Findiel stood stock still where he was; halfway through the door with an arrow embedded into the wall, millimeters away from his neck.

`Whoa, what was that for?' Findiel said, slowly approaching Gilthoniel as if afraid of her. She didn't say anything, just set down her bow and quiver of arrows and went to the sword rack on the wall. She took two swords and threw one at Findiel, who caught it at the handle.

`Gilthoniel, what is going on?' Findiel said, staring at the sword.

As before, Gilthoniel said nothing, just turned her back to him and took a deep breath, her usual fighting pose.

Findiel caught on and began to circle her. He knew her routine back-to-front, and knew this was going to be easy.

But suddenly, abandoning routine, Gilthoniel whipped round and ran towards Findiel, swinging her sword. He parried and pushed away from her, defending himself.

`What is going on Gilthoniel!' Why are you doing this?'

`You want to know why?' Gilthoniel yelled at him, before running towards him again. Again he parried, preferring to defend rather than attack. `Since when have you and Fëanor been together? Tell me that! And since when have I been engaged to Galdor?'

`Gilthoniel,' Findiel ducked at another attack. `Please stop it.'

Gilthoniel stopped and threw down her sword, taking several deep breaths. When her breathing returned to normal, she spoke again.

`I do not love Galdor, and I never will, so I will never marry him. And I know that you do not love Fëanor, no matter what you tell people.'

Findiel let his sword drop too and came towards Gilthoniel, now angry at what she said. `How do you know? I do like Fëanor, which shows how much you know.'

`But you don't love her, do you? You LIKE her, you don't LOVE her.' Gilthoniel said slowly, quietly, walking towards Findiel, who was trying not to look at her.

`Yes, I mean, no, I mean…' Findiel cursed as Gilthoniel stopped right in front of him. `What do you mean you don't love Galdor?'

`I don't love him, how can I? I love someone else instead.' Gilthoniel looked right into his deep brown eyes and he gazed back into her purple ones. `I just haven't known I love him for a while.'

Findiel wet his lips before continuing. `Who?'

`You, Findiel. I love you.' Gilthoniel said before kissing him lightly on the lips. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her back, but then he pulled away from her.

`Gilthoniel, we can't do this.' Findiel said, backing away from her. `I am getting married, so are you, it is impossible for us to do this.'

Gilthoniel tried to stop him, but he had already run out of the room.



Findiel and Fëanor got married a couple of days later. Gilthoniel stood and watched the one she loved walk away with the one she hated. As she walked with her brothers back to Lórien she didn't say anything, but she was crying a river inside. Whenever she saw Findiel anymore, he was always with his wife. She could never train with him anymore, so she had to content herself with riverside walks with Elendil, to try and steady her wits.

A few days after the wedding, Gilthoniel went to Galdor's chambers. She knocked on the door and he answered, beaming happily as he led her inside.

`I would like you to know that I accept you marriage proposal, and wish to know when we should set the date for the wedding.' Gilthoniel said formally, trying as hard as she could to be polite.

Galdor smiled at her, and together they went to find Galadriel to tell her the “good” news. Galadriel was thrilled, and she and Galdor spent ages discussing wedding plans. Occasionally Gilthoniel nodded, and said yes or no, as she gazed out of the window, watching Findiel and Fëanor running around together as happy as can be. Gilthoniel knew that she could have been with Findiel right now, she wouldn't have been sitting where she was certainty, if she had only told Findiel before that she loved him. But she hadn't, and now she was paying the price.

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