Remember

Chapter Two: Gold and Silver

"Remember."

The word haunted her, but what was she supposed to remember? She was just an everyday twenty-nine year old who'd probably be having a midlife crisis at some point soon. There wasn't anything weird or mysterious about her. She just was. There was no fancy job for her. No weird happenings with strange handsome men like in all those wonderful romance stories. She lived in the real world, her head safely out of the clouds. It was her reality, and she couldn't afford for her weird dreams to seep into that.

She was probably just tired and hallucinating the entire business. Heaven knew she'd been ill enough to do just that. Yawning, she peered at the time, quietly setting an alarm for a little ways before five. Her guests were due then, but it was only three o'clock, so she had time for a short nap. She definitely deserved it after all that. "I don't need to remember anything," she muttered, flopping down on one of her comfy sofas, alarm set on her phone as she closed her eyes and drifted back off to dreamland.

Sunlight peeked through the clouds, glimmering against the white marble which made up most of the city. It was a bright day, laughter reaching her ears as she leant out of her open window, looking out across the city with a small sigh. Garlands decorated the streets, little flags of white and gold fluttering in the breeze, the gentle flapping noise oddly relaxing as she stood there, enjoying her little bit of peace while it lasted – which wasn't all that long. A small stone slammed into her forehead, drawing a wince and a growl of annoyance from her. She slammed her hands down on the sill, her glare only darkening when she saw who'd thrown the stone. He enjoyed flicking her there, right in the middle of her slightly large forehead, whether it be with his finger or a stone. She rubbed at the sore spot, scowling down at the esteemed lord trying to get her attention.

"What the hell do you want?" she grumbled, glaring at him all the more intently, not that he was fazed by it. Somehow she doubted she was as scary as a balrog.

"Are you forgetting about your archery practice with yours truly?" he called, a wide smile on his face. "Your father commented about your lack of skill, and I can hardly leave that be. The bow and the sword are our lifeblood."

"I will stab you with that lifeblood one day," she grumbled, slamming her window shut, stomping downstairs, waving to her parents as she hurried out to join the rest of her company. No doubt they'd heard him calling up to her.

He smiled as she came out of the door – the annoying pretty boy – his grin turning wry as he opened his mouth yet again. "What was that?" he asked. "I didn't quite catch what you said... something about stabbing me?" He grinned mirthfully. "The day you manage that will be the day I declare you my successor."

She scowled. "Just you wait," she grumbled. "I'll stick you with the pointy end soon enough."

"Good grief, is that the only thing you know about swordplay?" he asked, voice mocking as she stomped after him. She was anything but the stereotypical image of an elleth. Not the way men imagined them. Sure she had inhuman grace and beauty, but her speech was anything but fair, and she had neither the wisdom nor the patience of most of her kin already at a similar age. "Come, stubborn little elleth. Let me impart my wisdom to you," he said, smiling sunnily.

She swore it was that smile which had captivated the hearts of the Gondolindrim. They loved him, apparently blissfully unaware about how much of a perfectionist and training nut he was. He ran his household into the ground with training drills, always drilling techniques and sparring practice into them, despite the relative peace of their city. She was one of his favourite targets, probably because of how young she was. There was a reason he kept calling her little. She scowled, hating that word, especially when it was applied to her. It irritated her, and him saying it made those comments about her height and age sting more than ever. She wanted his respect, not that she'd ever admit it. It's only make him tease her that much more.