[Airerûthiel]

Laitalathion has been listening to his new-found companions' tales and the unspoken words that pass between them; he has noticed that Derakis seems angered at Airerûthiel, and cannot help noticing the similarities in their tales. Realising the others are waiting for him to speak, he begins his story.

"Mine is not a tale of woe and sorrow and loss as so many of these are," he said, conscious of every word he speaks lest he should anger any of his companions. "Mine and Airerûthiel's mothers were sisters - that is how we are kin. I remember little of my childhood before my parents' deaths - my father was killed in a random warg attack when my brother Maikadurion and I were just two years old, and four years after that my mother eventually passed into the Grey Havens due to her broken heart. We went to live at the house of Rocconinquë following that, as there was no-one else willing to take us in."

The looks on his companions' faces ask the question of why he lives. "It must have been not long before the Massacre of the White Horse when Maikadurion and I ran away to the west; we had always felt we were accepted but unwanted in Airerûthiel's father's house and seen as a inconvenience that had to be tolerated due to the blood that flowed in our veins. So we decided to learn more of our mother's people and headed for Lothlórien, and then on to Mirkwood. Although the Elves we met were hospitable and friendly people, we still felt like we had since we were just six years old - unwanted and unaccepted.

"So we decided to turn back east, and settled in Rivendell for some time, where we met with the same reception. Then around six months ago we heard an Elf-maiden singing the Ballad of the Rocconinquë as we walked in Rivendell, and it made me ponder what had happened to the only family I ever really knew. We took two white palfreys and continued on the road east back to Gondor. When we tried to enter that fair land, they asked our names and we were refused entry - apparently they had discovered that my father had committed treason against the Steward of Gondor and all his line would never return to that land. Maikadurion was angered greatly at this and rode away into the wilds of Rohan. I know not if he still lives.

"Now alone, I returned to Edoras to seek the truth behind the legend of the White Horse, but found only gossip and falsehoods, which gave no comfort. So I continued west back to Lothlórien, where the Lady Galadriel gave me her good counsel. I knew not of this place called the Shire, but the name of Bree echoed distantly in my mind. And two nights ago, in the inn of the Prancing Pony, I heard the rumours that a female Ranger whose scabbard bore the badge of the White Horse had been seen heading west of there.

"I rode hard until I came upon the Green Dragon and found my cousin standing outside near the stables. The rest you know."