[Nerindel]

Léspheria

As Amandur and Rauthain poured over the map with the hobbit thief, Léspheria sat in quiet reflection, Naiore may be a villain but she was still an elf, from what she had heard it was clear that Naiore displayed both the best and worst traits of their kin, and had had centuries to perfect the skills required to elude any pursuer, their task was a difficult one, but Naiore no longer under the arm of the deceiver as her mother once believed, she was being hunted by those she had wronged, perhaps yet she may be forced into acting rashly, but perhaps not! sighing quietly she rubbed her temples and thought on Vanwe.

The young elf had just begun to find a place in life as the Forsaken inn's new stable hand, she was forging friendships, with the staff and Léspheria had felt that the young elf was beginning to find peace and acceptance, when her mother and her pursuers decided to turn up, pulling her violently from that new found peace and forcing her to be once more alone in the world, the irony Léspheria thought, was if Naiore had only stayed away this pursuit would have failed even before it began, for she believed that with friends and a new felt sense of belonging Vanwe would have remained in the inn.

She recalled the sense of fear and confusion she had sensed earlier, it was brief and fleeting but it seemed to her that Vanwe may have been disoriented to have projected such emotions so randomly, it was a miracle that she had sensed them at all! but she had and now she would have to make some sense of them, At least she knew one thing Vanwe was alive and of this Léspheria was glad. 'Perhaps the Maternal instinct that had caused Naiore not to dispose of the child as an infant still remain,' she pondered silently 'or perhaps she sees the potential of Vanwe's talents and thinks to manipulate them for her own purposes!' the second seemed more likely to her, given the nature of Naiore 'she would reven her own child!' she concluded in disgust.

To find Naiore she would have to think like her, this is what Tallas had meant when he told her not to be afraid to use her gift, for she did indeed fear to explore the darker emotions, Fear; hate; anger....etc, things that her quarry used to get her way in life, so what people would she use to instil these emotions in Vanwe? As she looked up to see Rauthain cleverly inciting the hobbit to reveal more than even he was aware he knew, a new thought came to her ' Naiore would certainly use the rangers pursuit against them were Vanwe was concerned, it was possible that Vanwe's fear of them might be beneficial to Naiore's plan, as for the two villains it may be that she is merely procuring less traceable good from them, or perhaps she thinks to bring them along to instil yet more fear into the young elf, making her more manageable?

Léspheria rose from her seat and began, unintentionally pacing back and forth, 'now where would she hide?' she thought closing her eyes and putting herself into Naiore's position, 'I am being pursued by rangers, and perhaps a bounty hunter seeking revenge, I have the added burden of a prisoner, but must procure supplies, what do I do?' she thought to herself, ' I would have set something up before snatching my prize.. yes I believe she would have done this too, then when I arrived I would call on my supplier, but I would not remain long with Rangers on my tail...hmm but what of Vanwe,' she mused what would I do with her, surely not leave her in the keeping of villains, no I would hold her up in some hidden place I had sought out previously, she sighed again causing Amandur and Ruathain to look her way, but she paid them no heed her thoughts preoccupying her. 'With all the holes and woodland surrounding Bree she could be anywhere, by the time they searched them all Naiore and her companions would be long gone.

But as Amandur and Rauthain made plans and readied themselves to leave a sly smile crossed her lips, perhaps this Barrold is not as careful as Naiore and his house will provide some hint of her/their intent. Just then she saw Amandur look at her, his expression one of quiet concern and puzzlement, then she realised how unlike her the sly smile would have seemed to him, she gave him a reassuring smile her eyes letting him know that she would explain later.