[ElentariGreenleaf]

A cool breeze made the leaves rustle around Elentari and Finduilas. The elf was happier than she had been in a long while, and longed to help any mortal she could. Iris, Finduilas’ friend from Bree, seemed to hide away from Finduilas while Elentari was in her company, and this made the elf think. Perhaps Iris was jealous of Finduilas’ new friendship, especially as Elentari was of the elven race. Yet Elentari could only think that Iris was the cause of the ill feelings in her mortal heart. She had driven Finduilas away by revealing her secret. Still, Elentari could not think ill of Iris, for she had seen much worse in people. Betrayal was often a word that sprung into Elentari’s mind at the mention of the race of Men. At least, that used to be how she thought, as a young Elf. But Elentari had since met many mortals, fought beside them… Even…

“I can hear a bird nearby,” said Finduilas unexpectedly. “Is it as beautiful as the song it sings?”

“Yes,” said Elentari laughing. She reached forward and held her hand out to the bird. It stepped onto her hand without even a questioning glance. “Hold out your hand, Finduilas.” Elentari brought her hand next to the girl’s, and whispered a few words to the bird in Elvish. It hopped onto Finduilas’ finger and began to sing again. A smile spread across Finduilas’ face and her unseeing eyes sparkled with delight.

“What does it sing about?” asked the Gondorian girl.

“She sings of love,” said Elentari, “the love that she has for her mate.” The song was so beautiful, that it even touched the heart of the elf. She remembered a song that she had heard once, and sung it in her clear and beautiful elvish voice.

“O Orofarnë, Lassemista, Carnimírië!
O rowan fair, upon your hair how white the blossom lay!
O rowan mine, I saw you shine upon a summer’s day,
Your rind so bright, your leaves so light, your voice so cool and soft:
Upon your head how golden-red the crown you bore aloft!
O rowan dead, upon your head your hair is dry and grey;
Your crown is spilled, your voice is stilled for ever and a day.
O Orofarnë, Lassemista, Carnimírië!”

“What a wonderful song,” said Finduilas. “It sounds to me as if it were written by a tree.” She paused, her cheeks becoming rosy-red. “You must think I’m stupid, saying something like that.”

“My young friend,” said Elentari kindly. “Why would I think of you of stupid for saying the truth?”

Finduilas’ blind eyes gazed in the direction of Elentari’s voice. “It cannot be! How could a tree write?”

“Not a tree,” Elentari laughed, “but a very tree-like creature known as an Ent! I have never met one, but they are an ancient race who dwell in Fangorn Forest.”

“I do not know anything about Ents,” said Finduilas.

“Then I shall teach you!” And so Elentari told Finduilas all she knew of the Ents, which she had mostly learned while she had dwelled in Rivendell.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 10:51 AM December 27, 2003: Message edited by: ElentariGreenleaf ]