[Imladris]

Lira groomed Merkaliel, her mare, with care, the stiff bristled brush wiping away the caked mud upon the horse's cloak. Taking a soft rag, she vigorously rubbed the body and was pleased to see that the ebony began to glisten without the aide of sun or moon. A crash of thunder made her glance out of the stall to see the sheet of rain that came pouring down in a magical curtain of alluring enchantment. A fine mist sprayed gently upon her upturned face.

Lira smiled and, taking the Merkaliel's hooves into her hand, began to pick them clean with a bent hook of iron. She ran swiftly outside and stood in the rain, letting the drops wash over her until her braided hair was a soggen mess and her green dress clung to her scrawny legs. Water dribbled down in rivulets down her chin and neck, gently landed upon her closed eyelids, and moistened her lips. She outstretched her hands and just let the rain fall upon her feverish palms.

The music of the pattering rain coaxed her to join in the song, and she began a lilting tune of her own imagination, without words, as her voice mingled witht he deep bass of the thunder, and the pleasant harmony of the falling rain.

As she sang, her thoughts turned to the mission ahead of her, the one with Uien and Esgallhugwen, and the others. Lira did not understand those who could waylay the innocent upon the roads and murder the men of Gondor.

The thought that she could die did not enter into her mind, spreading the gloom of dark forboding, as she stood motionless in the rain. Here her youth as an elf was apparent: had she not survived the threat of the orcs, the fiendish minions of the Shadow? She would survive this as well.

Reluctantly, she returned to the stable and, crouching in the warm stall, she disrobed of her water saturated green garment and donned a blue, light dress in its stead. It reached to her feet and was girt at the waist with a small belt. Hanging the wet garment upon the stall to dry, she darted swiftly into the warm comfort of the inn and skipped merrily to her room to pack what few belongings she had to accompany her on the mission. As soon as the rain ceased, she would replenish her supply of herbs.