[Imladris]

Lira leaned toward the fire's flame and sighed gratefully. The warmth of the fire enrapped her, tingled her flesh delightedly; the grey smoke drifted lightly towards her, enveloped her with a light shroud and made her eyes water slightly. I will be outside Esgallhugwen said. Lira nodded in assent and watched the fair elf stride to the door and disappear into the fading twilight.

Lira sighed and, sliding from her seat near the fire, sank to the floor and held her pale cheek against the red brick of the hearth. Weariness swept over the ugly elf maid, the heat of the bricks whispered bewitchingly of rest and fair dreams...the faint, calling neigh of a horse woke Lira from her sleep, and frowning, Lira realized that it was her own mare that called to her. Rising, she swayed unsteadily to her feet and strolled slowly towards the stable that was lit irredescently with the silver light of the moon. As she went to her mare, she saw that the elf maid Uien and the other man were speaking to each other, and Lira smiled softly as she saw their love.

She lifted the latch of the stall, and slipped beside her horse who whickered softly in greeting. Lira glanced into the manger and saw that it was filled with food and that fresh water was in the trough. "Little one," she whispered into the horse's ears, calling the mare by an old nickname. "You missed me, did you?" She laughed as the horse pranced in eager affirment. "I am sorry, little one," she said stroking the soft muzzle. "I was busy in the wine cellar, labelling the many different wines for the innkeeper. We finished the job, Esgallhugwen and I."

Patting the horse in farewell, Lira turned and wandered under the light of the moon, finally perching upon the wooden rail of the corral in a pool of moonlight, her pale hair glimmering softly, her blue lit with a haunting glow as she wandered paths of memory. A song flitted through her mind and, almost absently, she began to murmur the lay of Luthien and Beren.