Lost Tales of Gondolin by darthfingon

Prejudice

"They hate me, uncle," said Maeglin.

Turgon did not even bother to look up from his paperwork. "They don't hate you. They merely don't know you yet. I'm sure that if you try to get along, all of you will be very good friends in no time."

"No, they hate me. Everywhere I go they stare and whisper things behind their hands. It's because I'm from Nan Elmoth, isn't it? It's because of who my father was?"

"Now that's absurd. Half the city is of mixed heritage. You are no different."

"I'm different in that I was born elsewhere," Maeglin insisted. "They were born here or at Vinyamar."

Frowning, Turgon looked up and met Maeglin's gaze. "Maeglin. You are my nephew and a valued member of my family. It makes no difference to me where you were born or who your father was. You are kin, and that is all that matters. And what matters to me matters to the city."

With a huffing sigh, Maeglin flopped down into one of Turgon's cushioned chairs. He mumbled something too quiet to discern, though it sounded a little like 'Everyone still hates me'.

"Glorfindel doesn't hate you," Turgon tried.

"Yes he does. Yesterday he put an earwig in my shoe."

"Well then, Ecthelion doesn't hate you."

"He deliberately bumped into me on the stairs this morning and made me drop my biscuit."

"What about Duilin or Penlod or Egalmoth or-"

"Egalmoth thinks he's too important to talk to me," Maeglin countered, "Penlod threw me into a muddy ditch, and you know that horrible song everyone's been singing recently?"

"No," Turgon lied.

"Duilin wrote it. They all hate me because I'm different!"

"Even Galdor?"

Maeglin nodded. "Even Galdor."

"But what about Salgant?" asked Turgon. "I know full well that Salgant has been nothing but kind and polite to you, Maeglin. It seems he at least is trying to make a real effort at being your friend, despite whatever differences you have with the others. Why don't you ignore Duilin and Galdor and focus on your friendship with Salgant for now?"

Leaning back in his chair, Maeglin made a face as if horribly offended. "Salgant?" he spat. "Why would I want to be friends with Salgant? He's fat!"