She was born a cold winter night, the full moon shining through the house' little window. The old women were the only ones glad about that, because it meant some more gossip to talk about. Not that a big city like Minas Tirith didn't provide enough interesting stuff, but a moonborn – as they were called – child topped even the most spectacular news.

Back then, Irenia was too small to understand. She didn't see the trouble she had caused; with her dark blue, almost black eyes the baby simply inhaled the full glory of the moon.

Her Mummy didn't make the next week, so Amaria, her older sister who only counted five years back then, run the household from then on. Next summer her brother Beleg, who had just turned eight years, joined Gondor's army, and so Irenia grew up behind the strong gates of Minas Tirith. Soon the old ladies gossip died out.

Apart from being small and skinny, she seemed to be like all kids. Her playmates didn't see the point either. She'd lost her mother, but many had. She didn't talk that much, but many were shy. She liked playing tag, running around the roads, exploring empty backyards. So did they. As things went, Irenia was quite normal.

One sunny spring day three years later another little girl joined the play. She told them she was called Lothíriel and that her father was the Lord Imrahil. That lead to a lot of questions, mostly about the sea, which the girl answered pleased.

Lothíriel liked to talk and wasn't afraid of people. To Irenia this seemed like magic, and from her back place she watched silently. Then they started playing hide and seek, and the girls found themselves hiding next to it another. Their hiding place was perfect - behind the chimney of a small house next to one of the city walls, so you could climb on top easily - so they started talking. Irenia discovered the conversation going quite easily and found herself not afraid to talk, so by the time they were found, the little girls had told each other everything they could think of (even the bit obout being moonborn) and had become best friends.

From then on every time that Lothíriel came to town, she found Irenia standing on top of the fourth level wall, waving her friend hello. So they grew up.

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But there was one thing Irenia didn't share.

When she turned six, she woke with a strange feeling. It seemed to be next to her heart, in the center of her small body. That feeling felt... free. It seemed odd, and yet strangely familiar. The girl searched her memories. It didn't feel like running (although she ran faster than most of her friends). It didn't feel like the freedom forests used to have. It didn't feel like playing with Lothíriel, neither like helping Amaria in the garden. It didn't remind her of her Pa or Beleg, who made the little house feel really small when thy came home from their army.

The feeling strangely reminded her of the moon, shining in its full glory over the western fields. It was free. When it wandered across the black sky, Irenia sometimes felt like she should leave and join the moon on its nightly route. She knew it was ridiculous, but it felt right. And like a better place to live. Now, on the morning of her sixth birthday, all those thoughts seemed to have found a place in her.

Irenia sat up straight, pulling her black hair – another thing she shared with Lothíriel – to come back to her senses. Pa, Beleg and her best friend would come today, and she and Amaria had saved good food for days. Now wasn't the time to turn crazy.

When her sister woke, she got her out of the house to look for Pa and Beleg. Irenia knew this was a pretext to keep her away, because Amaria wanted to make some last-minute preparations. Still, it was fine with her. She slipped out of the door and left for the first level.

Her neighbors smiled as she passed, whishing her a happy birthday. The Baby Bergil grinned and said: "Arö", which was fine with her, because the baby boy didn't say much else. Irenia smiled and thanked quickly, then she ran on.

Down in the lowest level, she turned left. After some time, she came to some steps at the inner side of the big city wall. It wasn't the big stairs that lead on top of the wall, but you could get up there unseen and because people scared her, this was her favorite place. She started climbing. It was hard work, for the wall was high and the girl was small, but she knew she could manage. Climbing and running were the things she could do best.

On top she spotted some guards she was familiar with. Targon, Beren and another Bergil. They greeted, then turned back to watching the fields of Pelenor and further beyond the white gleam of Osgiliath. Behind that were the dark mountains of the Ephel Duath, the Border to the lands of Mordor.

Quickly the little girl looked away. She sneaked between Targon and Bergil, climbed onto a rock and watched the road that led to the city gate. Irenia didn't know how long she stood there. She could watch the sun rise and travel at least one quarter above the Sky, when she finally heard the sound she'd been waiting for; the sound of horse hooves on cobblestones.

The girl jumped, racing down the walkway, jumping down the official stairs and arrived in the place just in time to see a troop of soldiers on horses, some on foot, escorting the Lord Imrahil, and, most important, her best friend, her Brother and her Pa. Irenia was to small to understand that her Father and Beleg weren't being escorted, rather that they were escorting Lothíriel and Imrahil.

But she spotted them standing in the crowd, and they spotted her. "Irenia!", her brother shouted and waved. She smiled back and run, then hugged him tightly. "Get off", her told her, "You're squeezing me, little sister".

But she didn't have to, because Pa grabbed her from behind and turned her over. Irenia screamed. She was used to this, and she wasn't frightened, but she didn't like the way the world was all the wrong way round. Pa laughed his roaring laughter and put her back on the ground. The right way round, luckily. "I missed you, my little one." "Missed you too, Pa", she replied. "Oh, I almost forgot. Happy Birthday!". Her threw her up in the air again, but this time the girl didn't mind. Pa and Beleg were back! And Lothíriel too!

When she got to the floor again, her best friend run towards her. Irenia started, and they met mid-way, hugging each other and laughing.

Then the Lord Imrahil stepped up. Everyone bowed, but he smiled kindly at Irenia and wished her a happy birthday. She was too shy to answer, but she managed something that could've been "Thanks" as well as "Hmpgrz". The Lord obviously decided the first option was more likeable, for he smiled at her again, told his daughter not to be late for dinner and then went to greet the lord Denethor.

The rest of the day was great. They ate delicious food, everyone Irenia loved was present and all were glad. In the evening, Lothíriel was fetched by her older cousin Faramir, Son of Denethor, who was a big boy, almost as old as Beleg.

Afterwards the family went to bed and everyone fell asleep. Except for Irenia. The whole day that funny feeling next to her heart had retreated, but now it was back in full Glory.

The girl could see a full moon outside the window, smiling at her, almost as if to say: "Come on. What're you afraid of? The night is beautiful. Why don't you come? The freedom is waiting."

Irenia knew she couldn't, because Amaria had forbidden her to stay outside after sunset. "It's dangerous", she had told her. "It's dark, and you can't see where you're going. The night is dangerous. Stay home."

She knew that, but right then it didn't matter. The moon called, and Irenia knew she had to follow. She got up and sneaked quietly out of the house.

As if in a trance, she walked down trough the city, towards the outside wall. She did neither meet guards, nor anything living, which seemed odd, and an if she'd been at her senses, she would have turned back straight away.

She didn't. She kept walking, climbing the same steps she had used earlier this day and stood on her watchout stone.

The moonlight turned the Fields of Pelenor into something magical. The full globe moved across the sky, away from the black mountains and towards Irenia. It seemed to glow brighter, causing a shadow on the ground.

Irenia didn't care. She wasn't afraid. She simply watched.

And then, the moon seemed to fall off the sky. Everything got silver, too silvery to say. A strange, yet familiar male voice said: "Irenia. Child of the Moon. I claim you as one of mine." Then everything went black.

Another book I'll probably never finish! Be proud of me.

Dedicated to DrMaus ,because I based Irenia of her. At least roughly.

And I'm hungry.

Bye.