[ElentariGreenleaf]

Elentari glared at those in the room who had gone silent at the sound of her companion’s true name. Cree... The name had a nice ring to it, yet this elf feared to share it. Under the intensity of Elentari's gaze the people in the inn continued their own conversations. Cree was right, Elentari knew her face but she had never known her name. Elentari sighed and looked back to Cree's troubled face.

"Smani," Elentari said. "Your past seems a dark one, and so I will not return to this subject in conversation. If you ever decide you want to share this burden, I will be here for you."

The elf's face softened slightly, though Elentari could see she was still troubled. Elentari suddenly remembered she had not gone to see Finduilas the night before, and so she gave her apologies to Cree and rushed off to find her young Gondorian friend. As she walked closer to Finduilas' room she heard a harp being played. She quietly opened the door so Finduilas would not know she was there. Discourteous as it was to sneak into her room, Elentari wanted to see how she acted alone. As the elf suspected she would, she stopped playing and walked over to the window. She was crying.

"You are merely out of practice," Elentari said, causing the girl to spin round.

"You heard me playing?" said Finduilas. "I didn't know you were there."

"Forgive me," Elentari apologised. "I wished to see how you are out of the public eye. You do not seem as happy as you were yesterday."

Finduilas turned back to the window. She could feel the gentle sunlight touch her face, but she could not see it. Elentari walked next to her and leaned on the windowsill. It was a fairly nice day, but there were clouds in the west.

"There's going to be a thunderstorm, isn't there," said Finduilas unexpectedly. "I can smell it on the air. I love that smell."

Elentari smiled. "See, you can already predict the weather. Yes, it looks as if there will be a thunderstorm, for there are clouds in the west. What else do your senses tell you?"

Finduilas took a moment take in everything her senses were telling her. "I hear some chicks in a tree over there," she said pointing. "They are calling to their parents because they're hungry. The leaves are rustling in the trees and there are people travelling down the road, one, no, two on ponies. And I can smell... I can smell breakfast!"

Elentari laughed. "You are correct in everything you say, Finduilas. Do not give up on the world yet! Come, let us go to breakfast." She led her young friend out of her room and back to the main room.

"Elentari!" said Soronume. "Did your nose tell you it's time for breakfast?"

"Not mine," replied the elf. "It was Finduilas' keen nose!"