[Mithalwen]

Mithalwen was a little bewildered by Snaveling's claim; "but if you are of Numenore you must be of the dunedain - at least in my tongue - men of the west and so Numenorean. Besides your face betrays you Dunadan. I know others came before Elendil although I remember his arrival ... and I daresay he remembered me for a little while" She laughed and laughed more to see the expression on her dance partner's face as she guided him subtly through a sarabande. "for I am older even than your queen Tar-Corondir - though not by much as we elves account such things though by a fair Numenorean span in the time of men. ... And the tall lord of men from across the sea needed a smith and he went to the finest Noldorin smith, then dwelling in Lindon. This smith had an curious daughter, scarce out of babyhood, who on being presented to the great man pulled his beard for she had never seen such a strange thing. " She looked at Snaveling with a grin. "Elendil laughed but my mother did not.."

Snaveling looked dumbstruck and at that moment the music stopped while the bride and groom cut the cake. Mithalwen felt a pang as she regarded the mortal couple ..... the lives of men had always seemed so fleeting but the joy of these twain made her think that a brief time shared might be better than an eternity alone..... but then she thought, it seemed mortals did not always find love...