[Maeggaladiel]

Eleniel brought Alameth some lunch and sat down beside her.

"How rude of me," she said. "I've barely introduced myself. Well, as I've told you before, I own a shop in Laketown called The Raven's Nest. It belongs... well, it BELONGED to my father, and he left it to me when he passed away.

"I grew up in Laketown, not far from the docks where the elves of Eryn Lasgalen come to trade. All the children used to spy on the elves, hiding behind stacks of barrels as the elves bartered with the humans for wine and other goods. We thought they were magical. I suppose those days sparked my desire to travel, to see the realms where elves lived in their forest palaces and the plains where the Rohirrim rode on their mighty horses.

"When my father bought the shop, he would go out searching for merchandise while my mother and I ran the storefront, along with a young man my father hired. That was many years ago, when I was very young and my mother was still alive. She taught me how to sell things and how to do math for inventory and sales.

"She died a few winters later of sickness. Her last gift to me was Arrow here." She paused, looking fondly down at the silver dog searching for crumbs under the table. She sombered. "He was a birthday present. Somehow I think she knew she was going to die. She told me that he was to be my dearest friend and would watch over me when she could not." She scratched his pointed ears.

"Then it was just me and father. He would go searching for goods, leaving me alone with the shop. It hurt to be there by myself; I was constantly turning around, expecting my mother to be standing at the counter with a smile on her face. Finaly, after much begging and pleading, father let me come with him on his travels. After that, I just knew that I was meant to be on the road. I loved it; there was always something new to see or learn, every day was an adventure. From that year forward, father let me come with him, teaching me how to aquire merchandise and survive on the road. I've been travelling ever since."

She smiled.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" she asked. It felt good to be talking to someone who could respond. Arrow was her dearest friend, but 'woof' isn't much of a conversation.