[Imladris]

“Your Felly is quite the shot with a snowball, mind you! I'm glad she was on my side!" Ædegard said.

Silwen smiled and laughed softly. “Yes, she is. Her father and she have little duals every year. But she is upstairs with a sick man who fancies himself to be Amroth, lord of Lorien?”

“Yes.”

“She should like that,” Silwen said, her eyes straying to the bundle that she held in her hands. A dusty green mitten with the word “Fellwyne” was embroidered upon the cuff along with a soft blue scarf, a small maroon jacket, and an extra pair of black stockings. “She always did like the tale of Nimrodel and would often speculate about what had happened to the elven maid. I think that she secretly hopes they both survived and had found each other again. Thank you for your help, Ædegard,” she added, flashing a gentle smile at him as she turned away.

Running her fingers through her tangled hair, Silwen peered about the room and saw Bethberry serving drinks. Eyes twinkling, Silwen crossed to the bar. “Hello, Bethberry!”

“Silwen, it is so good to see you!” The innkeeper cried. “Your daughter has made a new friend,” Bethberry added, with a sideways glance up the stairs.

“I heard it was Amroth, lord of Lorien,” Silwen said with a wink. “Where is she? I brought her warm clothes,” she said, gesturing to the bundle. “She forgot them again but I wonder if it was a true case of forgetfulness,” she added, raising an eyebrow playfully.

“The strange ways of children. But come, and I’ll show you the way,” Bethberry said. The stairs creaked softly as the women climbed, and Silwen soon saw Felly standing before a closed door. Her head was tilted towards her shoulder, a dreamy, yet expectant smile lit her eyes and her face. “Fellwyne,” Silwen said brightly, kneeling down so that she was level with her daughter, “didn’t you forget something?” she asked playfully, holding the bundle of warm things towards her.

“Mama!” The girl whirled away from the door and threw herself into Silwen’s arms, and clasped her tightly as she whispered, “I’m so glad you came.” Unburying herself, she glanced up into her mother’s eyes and said, “Would you have some eggnog with me, please? You said you’d make some soon and that we’d drink it together, but you haven’t yet,” Felly said with mock reproach. Nevertheless, a smile twitched about her lips.

“Yes, I’ll have a drink of eggnog with you,” Silwen laughed as she took Fellwyne by the hand and hurried Fellwyne down the stairs.

“Oh, Mama, we had this glorious battle and I was a shield maiden of Rohan. And we had to defend Ædegard’s Deep from the attacking orcs and we had to reinforce the wall and everything! And I must say that I repaired the walls quite splendidly,” Fellwyne added with a smug smile.

Felly led the way to the bar and soon they held two cups of crown-creamed eggnog. They found a table beside a misty window and Felly, wiping away the fog with her sleeve, pointed and said, “There are the ruins of Ædegard’s Deep. Mellon was there, too…” the little girl’s voice trailed off and she said, “I don’t want to leave, Mama.”