The next morning, Elsa was walking to the library. Legolas and Aragorn had promised to help her look through the record books. Arwen had other matters to attend to. Elsa wore her hair pulled back into a braid. Since everyone now knew she was an elf, there was not reason for her to try and hide the fact any longer.
"Good morning, my lady."
Elsa paused and turned to find a young male elf. She smiled kindly. "Good morning."
"Forgive me for being so forward, but I wondered if you had a necklace."
Elsa's hand flew to her throat. "How did you know?"
The elf chuckled. "I've caught a glimpse of it a couple times. I've wondered…is it for sale?"
"No, I'm sorry it's not."
The man pulled out a pouch bulging with money. "Not for any price?"
"I'm sorry, it's very dear to me. I could never part with it." Elsa turned and continued on her way, leaving the cowling elf behind her.
She arrived at the library to find Aragorn already looking through books. Legolas leaned against the desk reading a small piece of paper.
Elsa looked over Legolas' shoulder. "What is that?" she inquired.
Legolas looked up and smiled. "It's a letter from my sister. She asks about me."
"What does she say?"
Legolas skimmed the letter, summarizing its contents for Elsa. "She misses my company and hopes I am well. She is not looking forward to her arranged marriage because she has fallen in love with someone else. And," Legolas chuckled, "she wants me to talk to our father."
"You should," Elsa said seriously. "She should not have to marry someone she does not love."
Legolas folded the letter back up and handed it to Elsa. "Here. You can read it. It will be good practice for you."
Elsa accepted the letter and tucked it away in her dress. "What is your sister's name?"
"Tathren."
"What a beautiful name," Elsa breathed.
"It means-"
"Willow," Elsa finished.
Legolas smiled. "Yes. Her name means 'willow.' You have caught on the Elvish very well, and very quickly."
Aragorn leaned forward. "Forgive my interruption, but did you ever learn the names of any of your family?"
"No," Elsa said turning. "And I have no idea what they might be either. Will it be impossible to figure out who they are?"
"Not impossible," Aragorn replied. "Just very, very difficult. You wouldn't by any chance even know your Elvish name?"
Elsa's shoulders slumped and her face fell. "No. I don't even know that."
"Elsa," Legolas said quietly, "maybe you should tell Aragorn your dream. It may help."
Aragorn waited quietly.
Elsa looked a bit uncertain, but she finally began speaking. "I often have a dream where a beautiful woman dressed all in white is standing before me. She looks at me with such love and tenderness. And as I look up at her, I can't help but feel I must know her. She says, 'Im meleth le nîn sell. Nîn Celsius.' And then she turns and takes a few steps away from me, but then she looks back one last time. I can nearly see her heart breaking in her eyes."
Aragorn nodded. "What did the woman look like? Was she Elvish?"
Elsa thought for a few moments, reaching far back into her memory. "I don't know if she was Elvish. But I feel almost as if I were looking into a mirror. Her hair is…red and her eyes are the brightest green. Her skin is so pale and so clear…"
Aragorn sat quietly, thinking. "I would gather that she is your mother. The next time you have this dream, pay close attention and commit everything to memory."
Elsa nodded and then picked up a record book to distract herself. She began leafing through the pages. "What exactly am I looking for?"
"I suppose some sort of note about you or your mother; for an elf with red hair would surely be note-worthy."
"This could take a bit," Legolas commented settling down with a book in his own lap.
So the trio continued looking for answers. If Elsa was indeed Elvish, how is it she came to have red hair? Who was the woman in her dreams? Did she mean anything? And if so, what? But perhaps the most important questions in Aragorn's head that sent his heart pounding in concern were: Why did that group of Elves want to kill her? Could this be…the Lady?