They had been 3 months in Minas Tirith.  In that time, Nori had made a strong impression on King Elessar and his wife Arwen, and indeed on all who met her, as a kind, strong, and noble young woman.  Some people even referred to her privately as 'Lady Norusell,' which Calenmir found both amusing and gratifying.  She had made many friends among the soldiers and guards of the city, and had come to love Queen Arwen as a sister.  But her greatest pleasure was found in her friendship with Legolas and Glamren.  The two Elves often rode to the city from Ithilien, and the three would spend days exploring the surrounding country.  As a child Nori had worked hard to learn Sindarin, and this knowledge and her awareness of Elvish history greatly impressed her new friends.

Nori herself was blissfully unaware of the admiration she had inspired in so many.  The excitement of being in a new place, and finally meeting the Elves of Mirkwood of which she had heard so much, was almost overwhelming.  When she first met Legolas after the fight with the Orcs, she had found his beauty and skill very intimidating, and had struggled to appear calm despite a racing heart.  She had expected him to be dignified and a little reserved, and as an Elf Prince he certainly had dignity.  But reservation was not in his nature.  He was warm, sometimes even boyish, and Nori quickly came to think of him as a very 'human' Elf.  She could only suppose it was this surprising turn of events that caused her heart to flutter whenever she saw him.

Due to the close connection between Minas Tirith and Ithilien, Nori soon came to the attention of Lord Faramir and his wife Lady Eowyn.  With similar characters and tastes, Eowyn and Nori liked each other instantly.  Upon hearing of Nori's interest in the improvements being made in Ithilien, Eowyn invited her to come and stay there for as long as she wished.

"But you were so devastated when I told you I was going to Minas Tirith!," said Thalestel with a smile.  "Now I ask you, what will I do without you?"

"If you're going to pretend to be upset about something, you must try harder to be believable," Nori answered.  "You would have been so much farther away than I will be in Ithilien that there can really be no comparison!  Afterall, Lord Faramir's home in Emyn Arnen is within sight of Minas Tirith, even on a cloudy day."

Within two days of this conversation, Nori was on her way to Ithilien.  Calenmir went with her to Osgiliath, where he left her with Legolas and Glamren.  The three friends turned south, and riding at a quick pace reached Emyn Arnen within a few hours.  After an excellent meal with the Lord and Lady, she was shown to the best guest quarters they had to offer.  With a promise from Legolas of sight-seeing the next day, Nori went to bed perfectly content.



"So, Glamren, what do you think of our friend Norusell?," asked Legolas.  "She's rather a strange creature, isn't she?"

Two weeks had passed since Nori's arrival in Emyn Arnen, a grouping of small mountains in the center of Ithilien.  She had spent some part of everyday with Legolas, Glamren, and the other Mirkwood Elves in the country, and each day for her had been better than the last.

"I suppose she is strange, especially by the standards of Men.  But I like her very much.  I would not dare to think otherwise, considering the friends she has made in the short time she has been here!  What do you think?," returned Glamren, already knowing his friend's answer.

"I think she's remarkable," said Legolas immediately.  "There's something about her, a quality that is difficult to describe..."  

He paused, gazing thoughtfully at the sky with a small smile on his face.

"She's a contradiction," he said finally.  "Sometimes, especially with Lady Eowyn and Queen Arwen, she is a strong, self-possessed woman.  At other times she seems almost like a child, a little unsure of herself, in awe of the people and things around her.  When she feels something is worth learning she is serious and determined, but she can also be playful.  She makes me laugh," he finished.

He did not say everything he felt on the subject.  To him it seemed there was also a sadness about the girl that she tried to hide.  He knew that her father had been killed by Orcs when she was a child, but about her life before that he knew nothing.  Calenmir had once mentioned that her mother's name was Eiliniel, but Nori herself had never offered any information about her life before going to Dol Amroth.  Some mornings she seemed worn and restless, as if her sleep had been disturbed by bad dreams.  But she obviously did not wish to speak of these things, so Legolas did his best to keep her mind on happier things, hoping in time she would let him into her confidence.