Fellow Students by Himring

Fellow Students

Galdor sat on the steps with his satchel beside him and a book in his lap, doing his best not to mope even in the slightest. He deeply appreciated the generosity of Lord Fingolfin in making it possible for him to attend the academy on the lower slopes of Taniquetil, he really did, and he was determined to make the most of the opportunities offered. The masters here were every bit as inspiring as he had hoped and the resources available, for someone of his background, were stunning!

The other students—unsurprisingly, a great many of them were Vanyar. Those fewer who were Noldor came from rich and influential families. They had had no need of a sponsor and all of them seemed to know each other so well. Nobody had been unkind; their manners were too good for that. If he sometimes wondered what they really thought about his being here, that might just be all in his head… But it was difficult to deny that he felt a little lonely.

There came a quick light sound of steps from below, someone hurriedly mounting the stairs. He looked up from the page in front of him.

‘The Trees shine on the hour of our meeting!’ said an unfamiliar voice with a Vanyarin accent. Although it was a conventional greeting, the polite words were uttered with such delight and conviction that it immediately set something ringing within Galdor’s heart like the bells in one of the many towers of Valmar. Nobody had sounded quite this glad to see him for a while.

‘I am Elenwe. I am new here,’ the bright-haired stranger confided, smiling at him. ‘I was going to the lecture on Harmony and Calculus, but I got turned around somehow. I am afraid I am going to be late! Can you help me find my way?’

‘Of course! I am going to attend that lecture myself,’ he said, rising and closing the book. It felt good to be able to help this newcomer, and with so little effort, too. ‘It is right along here. Do not worry. There is plenty of time still.’

‘Splendid! Thank you…’

She looked questioningly at him.

‘Oh. My name is Galdor.’

‘Galdor. How nice to have your company!’

Galdor was dimly aware that Elenwe's dress, although not ostentatious, was of very high quality, and that Elenwe’s family probably was no less well-to-do than those of any of his Noldorin fellow students. But before Elenwe’s clear gaze all such considerations faded away. There was no doubting she meant exactly what she said. She was not just being gracious, but had immediately decided she would enjoy his company.

And it was not long before he would have willingly accompanied her to the ends of Arda.

Chapter End Notes

The art portrays Galdor at different stages of his life and the accompanying verbal prompts explained that the artist envisaged Galdor growing up in one of the poorer districts of Tirion and first meeting Elenwe in a school on Taniquetil. The relationship  later on was to be either platonic or queer-platonic. 

I have labelled this treat ficlet General. Although Galdor and Elenwe are going to be very important to each other all their lives, the  ficlet is only about their first meeting and it is up to the reader to decide just how this might develop.

As Galdor is assumed to have grown up in Tirion, in a family that was not well-to-do, I am imagining that he was not very familiar with Vanyar. He may not have ever been to Valmar before he started attending the academy.