Prank by turlas

Chapter 1

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"Lord Parmaitë! I must speak with you about your son, Meneldur."

"Go forth, Master! Did he commit some prank?"

"Yes... kind of... though I deem it worse than mere prank. Look at this!"

The King's Heir took the book the schoolmaster was holding, and examined it with interest. It had strong wooden covers, and it was written in the beleriandic mode on some stiff and fibrous material.

"What is this?"

"An account of the Fall of Gondolin and the flight of its remaining people. Probably composed before the Third Kinslaying. Its leaves are made from macerated and pounded reeds, for sheepskin and parchment was rare in the Mouth of Sirion. Some loremasters say that it bears the handwriting of both Tuor and Idrill, but I doubt their arguments... "

"And why did I not heard about this? You know that it would help my works greatly."

"I myself had not became aware of it until two weeks ago. It seems that it was forgotten after Earendil sailed West and his children were taken into captivity. The King must have found it somehow, for he commanded it to be given to Meneldur. He hoped that it would kindle the interest in the boy for the histories of the Elder Days. Apparently, he thought that being eleven years old, he is mature enough to perceive its significance and treat it with care... Alas, it was not so: Meneldur draw a childish starchart on a blank page, right next to the part where the Tower of the King collapses and Turgon is slain."

"That is truly not right." - Parmaite frowned as he turned to the page the schoolmaster had marked, and studied the segment of the northern sky. -  "Have the book brought to my study. I will scold my son."

"Yes Milord. Thank you."

---

When Meneldur returned from the riding lessons, his father was already waiting for him.

"Why have you glamhothized [if anyone knows a proper Sindarin term for "vandalize", help me out] the Book of the Fall of Gondolin?" - he demanded as soon as the boy dismounted.

"Glamhothized? Oh, you must mean the starchart I have drawn into it. I'm sorry. I had no other writing material at hand."

"How so?"

"Uhm. I was reading it in the Gardens, as Master Nyardil had commanded. But it is really dull. All the forefathers of all the Lords of all the Houses are enumerated. Almarian came over. We fell to talk. We talked about many things. She explained how his father uses the birds and the currents to navigate on the Sea. I said that the same can be done using the stars. She said that she would not believe that not only direction but position could be found using them. I tried to show her. I needed to draw."

"Oh. So it was done to impress a young lady? Nevertheless, the book is ancient and venerable. And it is not fitting that one should boast with his knowledge. Your punishment shall be exemplary.... Wait, you said one can find position using the stars? Vëantur assured me that it is impossible. The sea is flat, so the sky of any given hour looks the same wherever you are."

"Father, it is still possible. Wilwarin and Valacirca are much closer to us than the older starts. If one goes many leagues to the north or south, they should appear to move a little bit relative to the others. If I could measure their distance, it should indicate position on all Arda, regardless of current maps and the like."

"Are you sure?"

"Dead sure, Father."

"Tomorrow we will visit Vëantur. I will think about the punishment."