[Lhunardawen]

Maika gave Hyarmenwë a look of purest loathing, fumbled for her palm pilot on the ground, and, with a fierce battle-cry to rival the Amazonas', hurled it violently towards his face.

If she were Skittles in disguise, perhaps.

But the real Maika could only glare at the Gondorian. An unwilling silence stifled all that was threatening to burst from her mouth--none of which had anything to do with the palm pilot lying near her feet. She suddenly found the meandering stream in the distance interesting, and towards it she turned her gaze as it softened. The clouds above them, she noticed gratefully, covered the sky entirely.

"What made you think, in the first place," she asked in as casual a voice as she could manage, "that I am one of those Gondorians I spoke of? Surely I am every bit as Mordorian as my fellow ambassadors are."

"No one else would have made that suggestion, Lady Maika. What motive could drive a non-Gondorian to want it done? And I mean no offence, but I've always thought you seem a bit too...normal, if you will, for their company."

"That's fair enough, I suppose..." she said, letting her gentle amusement trail into insignificance. "Alright then, you caught me. I am Gondorian. Or I was, rather."

Maika glanced at Hyarmenwë. Despite having correctly guessed, a mild surprise had still sneaked into his face.

"But you were right in only one count," she continued, again turning away. "I have no desire to return to Gondor."

"Why not, my lady?" The surprise rendered this time in his voice was more apparent.

"My loyalty lies with this land," she answered as she lightly touched her nose, and silently sighed in relief. "Surely you, of all people, know the meaning of duty. And it is as you yourself have expressed concern; there is no certainty that I will ever be purged of the anakronisms to which I've been accustomed."

"I understand," Hyarmenwë's response softly came. Maika did an internal double-take. Was there a hint of sadness in his voice, or was that just what she desired to hear?

"But as for your daughter..." she continued, pushing the thought away, "I'm certain that the child of someone of your position will have been cared for by the more conservative assigned Gondorians. They might have adopted her the moment she stepped into Mordor, and a visit to them can possibly lead us to her."

"So it is us, then?"

"Yes." Maika faced Hyarmenwë fully. "Yes," she repeated, "I am willing to help you inasmuch as I can."

"I am grateful," said Hyarmenwë with a bow.

"That might not be anything, though. For all I know those people regard me now as a traitor," Maika said carelessly, shrugging. "And I do not need to tell you--as you've already seen enough of this land for yourself--that this mission, quest, thing...it will not be easy."

"I am aware of that."

"Good. Now, if you have nothing else to say, let us return." She pointed towards the mountain behind them. "That's the back of the wardrobe; it is nothing more than a concealed exit from Mount Doom. We have, you see, been parking here in Nurnia for quite some time now."

Without waiting for a response, without seeing Hyarmenwë relieved that no anakronism had occured, without even thinking to pick up her palm pilot, Maika started her way back.