[Nerindel]

"Is that really Menecin's daughter" Amandur asked with a mischievous glint in his hazel coloured eyes, Lespheria looked up, she was slightly surprised that her friend had not stated the obvious, for it was plainly obvious that Vanwe had her mothers face. "Her eyes" Amandur answered seeing Léspheria's surprise, "Only one Elf I know has those eyes." Léspheria tried to smile as she recalled Menecin's kind and gentle face, it had been a long time since she had seen his warm smile or heard his melodic voice.

"How is he?" she asked her smile fading and concern again showing on her soft elven features. "He is safe, although I hear he complains constantly at being confined to ...." Amandur paused and looked around the room as though the walls would be listening, "Well, you know" Léspheria nodded, she did know how much he would hate being confined, even if it was for his own safety. "He blames himself you know" Amandur said softly looking deep into Lespheria's deep grey eyes. She turned away sadly and whispered "I know."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Léspheria spoke again, "So how long have you been here, my friend ?" Amandur rose and made his way over to the window, he watched Vanwe cross the court yard. Sighing he turned back to Léspheria and began. "Just a week ago a royal messenger arrived asking for me by name, he bore an urgent message from the king." Amandur slipped his hand into his tunic and pulled out the neatly folded parchment and handed it to Léspheria. She turned the parchment and ran her fingers over the wax seal that bore the official crest of the king, then slowly she opened it and read.

Amundur,

I hope this message finds you swiftly, for the errand I must now request of you is of the utmost importance. You must travel to the boundaries of the Shire, there you will met Lóthaniel Denfëa, whom I believe you already know. He will tell you more.
Go swiftly but discretely.

Elessar.

Léspheria was surprised to see her brother named in this message, she had known for some time that her brother was keeping something from her, but she thought it was only that he knew Halwain was Fawains father and the whole business between them and the Orc chief Skaikrish, he had explained much of this to her on their journey to the inn. As she looked up she saw Amandur studying her, trying to judge how much she knew. But at her asking look he continued..

"Lóthaniel explained to me that they had found Menecin's daughter, which I must admit surprised me for I did not know he had a daughter, but not nearly as much as what followed,"

"He told you who her mother was and warned you that she would look like her" Léspheria cut in.

Amandur nodded then went on "He also told me how the Kings Rangers while tracking Naiore Dannan through Belfalas came apon this young woman and if Lóthaniel had not been with them and seen their mistake they would have surely kill her, Instead they followed her hoping that she would lead them to her mother.

As they passed north Lóthaniel broke from the group and went to Rivendell to inform the Lords of what they had discovered, at about the same time he received word of Halwains capture and Skaikrish's demand that they bring Fawain to him. Lóthaniel thought these two occurrences more than coincidental, for one thing Skaikrish was not clever enough to have captured Halwain let alone find out that he was related to Fawain, it seemed to him and the Lords of Rivendell that someone was trying to keep the northern rangers preoccupied.

The lords informed Lothaniel that they had a shipment of Miruvor that needed delivered to the Shire for an Elven naming day celebration and ...." "Yes, I think I know the rest from here, so you were to watch Vanwe to see if her mother turned up" Léspheria concluded and Amandur did not miss the annoyance in her tone. Lespheria was angry that they had put this young elf's life in danger by following her, if Naiore knew that her daughter, no matter how unwittingly, was leading her enemies to her she may well try to rid herself of that shadow.

As she looked at Amandur, who was once again at the window watching for Vanwe's return, she realised that he was not just there to watch Vanwe, "You were to watch me too!" she whispered not fully understanding. Amandur spun around "You don't know...I thought..... he trailed off frowning. Then it hit her, "My Mother! it was Naiore that did those terrible things to my mother" Lespheria's eyes welled with tears at the memory of her mothers death. Amandur put his hands on her shoulders, "Listen, Léspheria your mother and Naiore were bitter enemies, It was your mother who opened Menecin's eyes to Naiore's treachery and she hated her for it."

"But my mother is dead so what has this to do with me!" she asked trying to compose herself. "Everything and maybe nothing" Amandur answered, "Naiore does not know that your mother is dead, when we found Valaindon she was in the very depths of Mordors prisons but she was not yet dead, but before she passed she managed to say... protect the gift and tell my daughter I am sorry." at the sound of her mothers name and her last word, it all became too much for her, she buried her face in her hands, Amandur gathered her up and held her in his strong arms letting her release the torrent of emotions that welled within her.

He and a few other rangers had taken Valaindon's broken body back to Rivendell, shortly after the war. But Léspheria's Father had forbid them to tell Léspheria of her mothers words, he told them that she was recovering from a strange illness. At the time he had agreed, not knowing the full extent of her illness. But now holding her in his arms he knew she had felt every moment of her mothers Torture. He had seen Valaindon's body she had been tortured then healed and by the look of her wounds it had happened many times, for over a month another ranger had reckoned. He hugged her a little tighter, he could not begin to imagine what Léspheria had gone through and was now going through again.

He felt useless, their was nothing he could do to help her. He could only hope that Naiore did not seek her daughter, He believed she would see Valaindon and not Léspheria if their paths crossed. As for Vanwe he had doubts, She searches for her mother, not her father, why? He held Léspheria until emotionally drained she fell asleep in his arms, He laid her gently down on the bed, as he did he noticed that she wore her mothers short sword, he hoped she would not need it. He quietly went about packing the things she would need for their journey. He meant to go with her no matter how much she protested.

When he had finnished packing her things he went back to the window, which afforded a clear view of the courtyard and the pool beyond, he continued his watch, but he was still distracted by Léspheria's ailment, so much so that he failed to see the two shadows that lurked in the shadows watching his charge.