I was making my way back from a filling dinner smiling quite smugly to myself for it wasn't just the food that had made the meal what it had been. For Rren had had to apologize to me in front of everyone and even though I knew her apology wasn't sincere the shear joy of it all was the fact she had to do it in front of all the elders. I opened the door to my chambers and went towards my dresser where I had placed Rren's book before dinner, this time I had even been sure to lock both my door and window to prevent her from getting it back but instead of a book laid neatly on the dresser now lay a note written in an almost illegible print, indicating it immediately to me as my cousin's handwriting. It read:
'Dear Gwen,
Sorry I had to break in through you window to get my book back because upon opening the window with a great effort I knocked over one of your orbs to my (and now probably your) dismay. Do not despair though for I will get you a brand new one even better than you old on upon my return after exploring Rivendell in full. So until next time we meet,
Your Cousin,
Rren'
I blinked several times before I discarded the note back onto my dresser and looked towards the window which actually faced the vast forest which surrounded Rivendell. To my own surprise I wasn't angered by Rren's note or the small pieces which remained of my orb that had been carefully put in a pile. No, anger definitely wasn't the word at all. It would have to be worried, Rren had written threats of leaving before but she had never even gotten this far in her attempts, it really made me wonder if my cousin truly would be leaving us. I sighed as I gazed out of the window not even noticing that the gate to the city lay open and unlocked. On another usual day I would have noticed something like that immediately for I have the keen senses that any elf possess, but I individually seemed to have even keener senses then others I knew in Rivendell. I turned away after several minutes. Night now had completely fallen and the stars shone brightly but tonight there was no moon another thing that I didn't notice till too late.
I left my room and then ventured into the study where the man I had run into earlier sat bent over a piece of paper that lay out before him. As I entered the room he looked up and smiled at me and I smiled back hesitantly. It was then that I noticed how almost kingly the man looked he seemed to have a noble look about him. The looks of man many others would trust and follow, but how could this man dressed in the clothes of a ranger be anything but a common popper in the world of men. Yet it puzzled me for this man unlike any others I had ever met knew elfish and seemed to be a good friend of them making me even more curious of him. I proceeded into the study and sat in a chair and then pulled out a book, which I had intended to read, but something seemed to draw me to look at the puzzling man again. Again he smiled at me looking up from his paper and then he spoke but in this time in the common tongue.
"May I ask, Gwen of Rivendell, why you stare as if you have never seen a human before? I have been told of your intelligence, but none have told me of you intent curiosity,"
I smiled, "Forgive, me but I have
never met a man before who knew elfish or our culture so well, may I
ask who are you?"
"My name is of no matter, but I met the
elves long ago and have since been their friends they have helped me
in times of need. May I ask child have you not heard of your mother's
sister?"
"Yes, I was told she left long ago but was never
told why or where she went, did you know her?"
"I guess you
could say that I suppose," The man answered and then returned to
looking at the piece of paper that lay in front of him. I wished to
ask him more but I knew even if I pressed him he wouldn't speak. So
I now began to read my book still wishing I could ask the man more.
I didn't get to read long before my grandfather came bursting into
the room and whispered something to the man and they both left
hurriedly together. I shrugged my shoulders. Sometimes I did not
understand elders' affairs. It was then I noticed the man had left
the piece of parchment on the table I went over to look at and
discovered it was a page from Rren's book in fact it was the map of
Rivendell. I smiled to myself; with luck Rren wouldn't get very far
without the map and would forced to head back sometime soon from her
little adventure.