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Uien
In the windless, growing twilight, the pink and white flowers of the hawthorn tree fell fluttering onto Uien’s hair. Her smile grew. She could not be completely sure, but the signs were there. A root tripping a fleet footed Elf maiden, leaves whispering in no breeze, a very bouquet of flowers falling all at once.
Uien loved all trees above all growing things, for they graced the land with beauty and were for the Elves a remembrance of Fair Yavanna. Uien had never been to Valinor, and now would never go, but she had received the fair memory of that holy one from Lady Galadriel, and could not forget, nor would she. Above all trees, even the mallorns of Cerin Amroth, the Elves loved the shepherds of trees, who from them had learned speech and much lore.
So Uien was not sure, but she guessed, and so she smiled as she had not done in many a day or year. She could feel and smell this tree's way, and it was that of gardens rather than woods, and it - no - she, was a Lady tree. Uien chose not to even think the name that this one's fair kind went by, for she felt the secretiveness of this one.
"I shall not betray your secret, fair hawthorn maiden," she said, and smiled. "Twilight is above all times most precious to me, and I will remain here to share it with you. Then I shall dream sleeplessly through the night, as is the way of Elves. I shall not be watchful. If you are not here in the morning, I will not give chase, and will carry your secret in my heart for all time that is given to me in Arda, and tell no one unless you say otherwise."
Uien touched the bark of the hawthorn, feeling the slow rhythm of the life within, and she was glad. Even if her guess was wrong.
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