A conversation held after meeting five wood elves on the road to Dunedin.
What was it that wood elf said that pissed me off so much? Well, let me try to explain. First you need to understand and accept that "elen sila lumen omentielvo" does not mean such a simple thing as your common "hello". It means something more elegant and beautiful. It literally translates to "A star shines upon the hour of our meeting." It means that I'm glad to see you for this first time and I expect that we'll be friends.
Do you remember back in Karlsbad, we met briefly with Karl and his wife Jinny? She tried to say that, but the words didn't come out quite right. If you remember she actually said "Anor sila tilameno." She was smiling and she was trying so hard to get it right that I didn't have the heart to correct her. Besides, if you translate what she managed to say it comes out as "The sun shines on your face." That, at least, is the rough meaning of it.
There are many levels in each word of my native tongue. You may remember that I replied with a nod of my head and the words "Anor utuvielo fanilya tir." This can mean a couple of things, and the double-meaning apparent to most people would be "You are a welcome sight." As well as "You look kindly upon me." This not only accepts her intended compliment, but affirms it while making a compliment to her.
It's very subtle, and the way a person is standing or where they look also projects meaning into the message. The way the head is tilted, which part of the face is being looked at, where the hands are placed and how, and sometimes the tiniest details can change the way a greeting is conveyed.
I was... saddened... and disturbed, by the way I was treated by the wood elves you met before we came to the inn called the Red Stag. I could not interfere with what they would do with you next, and I am glad of their leaving Alain with only the few glamours they cast upon him. I truly feared what could happen to you during the question game. When that one came up to our gathering he did not approach me. Not exactly, but as though he were stopping for no reason at all. When he looked in my direction it was as if there was nothing standing there, not even the wagon or the horse I rode. His horse stood in the same way, and did not even take a breath of air while near me. And his words, although meant for me to hear, were not addressed to me and made it clear that I was not welcome in what was to follow. I was lucky they accepted my defiance when I stayed, but I also did not make a sound while they were still near.
"Yestare naringa marstelye palano."
...It is a cold morning and you are far from home.
In P'eiml as well as Landsrue, such a thing would have been taken as a lukewarm but harmless greeting. However I suspect that in Panther Hollow, that would have been interpreted as an outright threat.
I wish you had said more at the time, though casual as they were they had their bows; even if unstrung, they made the threat clear enough. I hope they came away mostly empty-handed.
Though I still wouldn't mind speaking with his tailor.