Hi. I'm here, just tired. First week of classes. Moving in, and classes, and homework, and meetings, and...
Was it this stressful the last few years I did it?
I can post an Indil/Tharonwe moment this weekend (I'm afraid probably not before then), unless you (LMP) want to.
Though I like each character in turn, I'm all for culling to simplify the story and the writing. Theory is, if we're confused and bored writing it, how the x are casual readers going to feel? It's not like everyone has to die, they just have to get shunted out of the plot in a reasonably (but believably) fast manner. Once we're excited, the writing will reflect it.
And though I think it would be tragically pretty to have Mellondu kick it (especially if contrasted with Mellonin; just think: the innocent are those who suffer most), I also think he's a wonderful Amroth-carrier, and it would be superficial at best for us to remove him.
A side note: Indil's blocking out deaths. It's tugging at my mind that if she witnesses or finds out about deaths of those who have taken her in, and is forced to come to terms with it, it might toss her deeper inside her own mind's capabilities. Anything from insanity to more control over visions, to simply weeping helplessly out of fear and pain.