[Airerûthiel]

Neisa shook her head. "No, I am afraid not. Mead is more my drink of choice, even on these occasions. But I shall sample a little lemon juice, purely on your recommendation." She shouted her order across the bar in a voice like silver bells and downed the last of her shot glass of mead.

"I am interested to hear more about you," said Elentari as a waiter brought over another two glasses of lemon juice. "There is more to you than meets the eye, and I for one would like to know of it."

Neisa sipped her drink. The tangy flavour hit her in a wave of citrus scents, but after the initial sharpness of the drink the sugar began to kick in, giving it a rather pleasant aftertaste. She then answered Elentari's request.

"On the surface I am nought but the only daughter of a well-to-do Riddermark family. My father Tycyn is a high-ranking member of the Rohirrim cavalry, and my mother Brecia was of good family also. I have an elder twin brother, Ginyc, but according to our parents we were born with the wrong personalities. I am the warrior one, the adventure-seeker, never content with the life of my mother. He is the one who wants to settle down to a farmer's life and marry a village girl."

Perhaps a little clichéd, thought Elentari, but interesting nonetheless. She then guessed at the next part of the girl's life. "I presume you ran away because you felt pressured into being what you were not?"

Neisa nodded in response. "Once I learnt to ride and fight with the sword, I quickly grew tired of what I saw my mother's world consisted of. My father and brother have never been particularly concerned by my personality - they agreed to just let me be who I was - but my mother saw me as a sign of social embarrassment. I think my rushing in late to an important dinner dressed in boy's clothes and covered in mud from riding was the straw that broke the camel's back." She smiled at the memory, and then continued.

"When she died giving birth to my younger brother, who we also lost that day, my father went into a state of mourning. He handed his position in the Rohirrim over to my brother, who of course was ill-suited to such a post, and then left me to do what I would. But although in my heart I desire adventure and a chance to prove myself to be as strong as the Lady Éowyn of Rohan, my duty lies with my family. I was left no choice but to tend to my father as his sickness grows stronger. It was all I could do to tear myself away and come to this party.

"But tell me a little more of yourself. I know the tales of your life, but I am curious to hear of the one of whom Bragolhirwen of the Rocconinquë spoke so highly."