"I do not know what is wrong, Eowyn… he has been like this for years…"

Meiou continued to watch Legolas through Eowyn's window, as he sat down the grass on Osgiliath's public garden, his face once again deep in thought, his eyes glazed in what seemed to be worry. She slowly raised the goblet of elverquist to her lips drank slowly, her eyes still on her husband's slim form.

"Sit down, Meiou. Your legs will get tired from standing by that window for hours."

She turned to Eowyn, who, like her, had also aged. Lines set about her aging face, and her once brown-blond hair was now flecked with streaks of gray. The only think that had not changed in her was her brown eyes, which still held her courage and vivacity, as it had when Meiou met her and her husband Faramir.

Meiou sat down at the chair Eowyn indicated, and she sighed. "Something is wrong, Eowyn. I could feel it. He is hiding something from me."

Eowyn looked at her, "What could he be hiding? He has never kept a secret from you before."

"I know. He has been… unbearably truthful sometimes." She said, "But recently, he has been rather silent… and twitchy."

Her friend's eyes widened in mirth, "Twitchy?" she asked, before bursting into giggles.

Meiou smiled, "That is the only description I could think of. He twitches every time I speak to him while he drifts off into the horizon. He goes… 'huh?'…" she said, mimicking Legolas' face so absurdly that Eowyn went into a fit of laughter, "And then walks off like a zombie away from me."

"Well, I would be troubled too, if Faramir gave me a look like that." Eowyn said, giggling into her own goblet of ale, "But what could he be hiding from you?"

She shook her head, but a minute later, she said in a quiet voice, "I… I am thinking that… it has something to with… me. With the way I look."

Eowyn looked incredulously at her, "That would not be it. There must be something else, but your face has nothing to do with it."

"Then what would it be?" Meiou asked, "It certainly cannot be the children. They are too good to cause trouble for him."

"What about other women? Has he been close other ladies in your court?" Eowyn said, looking rather suspicious.

She shook her head, and Eowyn visibly deflated.

"Well… honestly… I do not know either, Meiou." She answered, "I do not know what his reason is…"

"I just wish that I could change my appearance for him." Meiou said suddenly, "He seems so… perfect… like his other kin, but being married to me… the only elf who looks like a female orc…"

Eowyn looked sternly at her, "Now stop that! You are not a female orc! Even your father had stopped calling you that, so why should you?"

"I am sorry." Meiou apologized, but she hugged herself as she continued, "But I just wish I could be more beautiful than I am now… for Legolas…"

Eowyn continued to watch her friend before slowly rising up and saying, "Wait here. I want to show you something."

Meiou watched Eowyn walk towards her collections of books, taking out a small piece of folded parchment from underneath them. Slowly, as though she was debating with herself, she gave the paper to Meiou. "I found this in Gondor's archives, during the time we were there." She said, " I do not know if this works, but… I am a firm believer of magic, and I think this is a genuine magic that could work for you…"

She looked at Eowyn, a bit confused at what she meant, as she slowly opened the folded parchment. Slowly but quietly, she read the scrawled words:

"If you wish to seek beauty rare,

then listen close and with intense care.

In Aglarond are jewels of magic found,

Show them to Anor and their magic shall be unbound.

Add the magic with a Periannath's tear,

And pour it in Lorien's mirror with Ithil near.

Add Athelas, Simbelmyne and Elanor too

With blood of the seeker of beauty so true.

Then as it swirls and joins and mixes

Speak thy reason for thy wishes.

Then watch, for soon rises thy heart's desire,

Wrapped and encased in both ice and fire.

Meiou reread the parchment, before raising her eyes to Eowyn, "Is this what I think it is?"

Her friend nodded, "A spell to show the seeker beauty." She shrugged, "I thought I might travel and give it a shot, but when I married Faramir, my journey got put on hold." She smiled at Meiou, "Give it a try and tell me if it works, will you?"

"Are you telling me to leave my husband and children to search for a spell that might not work?" Meiou said as she read the parchment again.

"Think of it this way…" Eowyn said, "If it does not work, at least you tried and had another grand adventure. But if it does work, then… Legolas would, as you would say, have a more beautiful wife…"

She looked uncertainly at Eowyn.

"If you'd like, I could help you." The Mistress of Ithilien said, reaching out for a small white flower that was placed on a nearby table and placing it on Meiou's hand. She looked down at it and realized what it was. A Simbelmyne…

"Your first ingredient for the spell." Her friend said, a small smile playing about her lips. "You'll have to find the others, though…"

Meiou bit her lip as she thought of what she would do. Finally, with a determined look in her eyes, she turned to Eowyn and said, "Eowyn, please look after Legolas and my children for me…"