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Snaveling almost laughed aloud at the question. What has happened, indeed? he thought. How could he ever explain it to anyone, even to an Elf, without a week's worth of explanations? The facts in and of themselves were easily and soon given, but the facts were far from the only things that had happened. Snaveling's whole life had changed, in an instant of overpowering recognition and shattering glass. He was not alone in the world. He had a family. There was someone in the world to whom he was joined irrevocably, and this someone was already as dear to him as his own life.
But what else had happened? She had fallen in love with him, and he had rejected her. She had opened her heart to him and he had given it back to her on a platter with gashes and wounds upon it. She did not know that he was her grandfather, and he could think of no way to tell her.
"What has happened?" he echoed her words aloud, dully. He could think of nothing else to say but the truth. "Aman is my grand-daughter, though she knows it not, and I fear that of all the trials of my life, this will prove to be the greatest and the most painful for me."
Mithalwen's mouth fell open in surprise, and her tongue was stopped. He met her eyes and opened his mind to her, pouring out only the wave of feeling that threatened to overwhelm him in a moment. Here, he thought. This is what's happened.
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