[Maegaladiel]

Nahai laughed as Annalalaith finished her tale. She tried to picture an elf, a race that seemed to float as they walked, falling down a flight of stairs onto his face. It proved to be quite an amusing image. She could almost hear Annalalaith's silvery laughter echoing through the trees at her father's slip.

"Aye, I can see why he chose to name you Gift of Laughter." Nahai said. "Elven names are truly beautiful. I can understand very little elvish, but it sounds so magical. I'm always afraid to speak it because my clumsy tongue would ruin it!" She thought of the language of the Beornings, a strange tongue that sounded like animal noises turned into talk. Elvish was the sound of silver bells, and Beorning was that of rocks hitting an iron pail.

Elven names always had beautiful meanings, too. Annalalaith: Gift of Laughter. Celecu: Silver Bow. Morwyn: Dark Maiden. She didn't think 'Nahai' meant anything. It was probably just a pretty word someone thought up when she was born. Something that both bears and men could pronounce. Maybe someday she would pick an elven nickname for herself. Something beautiful and flowing.

"What are you doing so far from an elf city?" Nahai asked Annalalaith suddenly. "I don't mean to pry," she added quickly, and somewhat apologetically. She wanted to know her story.