[Galadel Vinorel]

"Last night," said Galadel softly. She seemed to be talking to herself rather than to Snaveling, for she was not looking at him, rather her crystal clear eyes were staring within one of the glasses that she held, which was still half filled with wine. The elf thought back to the events of the night before, trying to make some sense of their events that were jumbled up within her troubled mind.

"Last night there was a party," spoke Galadel, totally absorbed in remembering, "Yes, a party in which I played my flute and you sang. You sang, Snaveling. Yes, now I remember that. It seems like only hours ago, yet at the same time, years ago." She turned, bringing her sorrowful eyes to meet with Snaveling's suprised ones. Her eyes were glazed over, as if she were not really there, but somewhere else entirely, some place that was lost within her memory. Yet she was there. "And you spilled the ale, and talked to Aman. You asked forgiveness from her, yes you did. You recieved a new pair of clothes, payed for by the money that you borrowed from Tobias. And Roa saw the amulet. The amulet ." At this Galadel looked deeper into Snaveling's eyes, hers not glazed any longer. "The amulet," she whispered to herself, and then turned away from the man to begin working once again.

For a moment Snaveling remained stunned and very suprised, starring confused at the back of the Elven maiden. Then he spoke, "My lady, you have yet to answer my question."

Sighing, Galadel turned back to him and said, "Must you know, my friend?"

Snaveling was a little taken aback by the word that she used for him, but he did not let that deter him from his want to know the truth. "Yes, Galadel, I really doneed to know."

The maiden could hear the strain in his voice, and sighed once more. "Very well, Snaveling," she said, putting down the cups thta seh held in her hands, "I will tell you a story, one that I have known all of my life, one of the lost land of Numenor." And so the elf began, telling the history of the peaceful land, of the Lords and Ladys that had onced ruled it. She told him about their lives and deaths, wonderful stories, heroic storied, love stories, and tearful ones. And then she told him about its destruction, about Sauron the deceiver, and the King of Numenor's betrayel. How long she talked neither of them know, for both were caught up withing the history of Numenor.

"I remember the beauty of that land," she said after she had told him the land's entire history, "It was filled with trees, gorgeous, tall trees that filled that land. There were items made there, jewels forged, tables and other wooden items carved wtih flowers, birds, and elven characters, that were so beautiful that you would cry when you beheld them. Some of the greatest makers that ever lived worked on that land. I remember the harbors the most, though. I saw some of the largest and most beautiful ships there. I never even knew until then that ships could be so beautiful, except for the ones that came from Valinor."

Seeing Snaveling's startled face, Galadel laughed. "You are wondering now how I could have seen Numenor, the land that was lost so long ago, aren't you, Snaveling?" she said, smiling as the man of the South nodded slowly, "How old do you think I am?"

"Um...Around your late 20's or so. At least, that is how you look, my lady, though I do know that elves never look their real age," he replied.

"No, we never do," replied the maiden softly, and then she went on, "I am not in my 20's at all. I have been alive for a long time, but for how long I will not say. That is my own little secret." Galadel winked at Snaveling, grinning, and then returned to cleaning off the cups off the tables, as teh man thought over all that she had just told to him.