I attempt to help Mam in making up the guest room, but she insists she does not need any help telling me I should hurry to bathe and dress for the evening meal.

"We may as well eat sooner rather than later since you are home for the day," she tells me, "Besides, that poor child is nothing more than a broomstick with hair and the sooner I can get a hot meal inside him the better I will feel. Is there no one in that colony of his to care for him properly?"

"I am sure they try," I say, pausing to kiss her cheek, "But a bout of the sea longing always dulls his appetite, and likely only your good cooking could tempt him right now. I'm sure there isn't an elf in Ithilien who can cook like Lady Vonild."

She rolls her eyes at this teasing, but flushes prettily anyway before adding, "Nor one quite as persuasive as Gloin's son. Between us we'll get some flesh back on the lad! Now Dorbryn and the others were not planning to join us this evening, but perhaps we should call for them? I am sure they would change their plans considering the circumstances."

I consider this for a moment, but decide it might be wiser to leave things as they are.

"They will see him in the morning, for no doubt they will be here for break of fast. He might do better with having less obligation to entertain folks and more time to rest for tonight."

She nods in agreement, and then waves me away. By the time I return to the common rooms, Mam is setting the table and Legolas is asleep in her favorite chair, a half finished cup of tea still in his hand tilting dangerously to the side. I rescue it before he manages to spill it and this act is enough to cause his eyes to blink open for a moment, but he only half smiles and then snuggles deeper into the cushions. I am tempted to let him sleep, for I do not doubt that he hasn't slept well since he was afflicted with this current spell of sea longing, but I know that Mam will insist on feeding him before he is allowed to sleep for the night. Perhaps it is better that way.

I gently rub his cheek with one finger and whisper his name and he slowly blinks into full wakefulness. Seeing me, he sighs as if in relief and then embraces me hard just as he did when we met earlier. For some reason physical contact seems to help restore him at these times and is something that is probably in short supply in Ithilien. He has many dear friends there of course, but not the sort that would be able to supply this need. Whatever the case, I just stroke his hair and allow him to cling to me for as long as it takes to gain whatever comfort he can from my presence. I look up and see Mam watching us fondly, but with some concern as well. She knows as well as I do that there is no cure for this particular ailment short of actually taking the straight road, and she also knows that at least for right now that is not an option for my lad.

It is a heartbreaking situation really because for all his many accomplishments, he is really only an elfling who should not have to be parted from his family and everything he holds dear and it seems entirely unfair that that is the only permanent solution to his illness. But since that is the situation we are in, then that is what we have to deal with and so we will for as long as we possibly can.

For now that means paying special attention to his physical needs and distracting his mind with things that might drown out the song of the sea. So this visit we'll cosset and fuss over him, but also try to find interesting ways for him to spend his time as well. I'm very pleased to have Mam living here with us permanently, for she is an expert at the first, and no doubt Legolas will be interested in seeing the project I have been working on, and on spending time with my young nephew as well. Greirr is a lively lad who is forever coming up with ways to entertain himself and others, and my elfling has always been very fond of him. Greirr was just beginning formal lessons when they first met, but now they would be considered to be of a similar stage of life, with Greirr being slightly the elder now. I am certain they can come up with some sort of hopefully harmless mischief to get involved in, which would be the best thing for my lad just at the moment.

But that is all for later. For now, I wait until Legolas loosens his grasp on me and then encourage him to the table that is laden with enough variety of good foods to tempt the appetite of even the most finicky of individuals. Surprisingly my lad eats tolerably well all things considered, though Mam does not seem fully satisfied.

"Ye always have seconds of my fruit bread," she points out, trying to look a little offended. "Is it not to your liking this time?"

I smile to myself at that, for Legolas is now obligated to assure her that it is the best she has ever made and eat a second piece to prove he means it for he would never risk hurting Mam's feelings for anything. She rewards him with a bright smile and an offer of a third piece, but he looks to me to rescue him, which I gamely do.

"Perhaps the lad might sleep better if he is not too over stuffed," I suggest. "He has been on the road for days and might do well to have an early night tonight."

"Aye, that may be for the best after all," she agrees, getting to her feet to clear away the dishes, and then slapping Legolas' hand when he reaches for a plate to help her with the chore.

"I will take care of that," she insists, "you just run along and prepare for bed. Gimli will make you some tea and then come and see you settled. And do not bother saying there is no need for all the bother!" This said when the lad opens his mouth to protest over our fussing over him too much. "Ye are here to get well and we know best how to help ye accomplish it. Ye'd do well to cooperate and let us get on with it. There is no need to pretend when ye are with family. Is that clear youngling?"

Since it is never a good idea to argue with Lady Vonild, there is only one thing to say to that.

"Yes Mam, it is clear," Legolas says, looking sheepish, but also decidedly relieved.

"Good lad!" Mam says, pulling his head down to kiss him firmly on each cheek. "Now go on with ye!"

With that Legolas disappears into the bedchamber, one that has furniture designed for a considerably taller figure than the average resident of Aglarond, and I start water for more tea. This time it is chamomile, which is known to have slight sedative properties. Mam adds a little Valerian root for good measure and a good amount of honey to cover the bitter taste. It is her special remedy for most any ailment. If the herbs don't help him relax and sleep then at least knowing the care that was put into making the tea will help him feel well cared for and know that he is not fighting alone, which I personally think helps as much as anything.

He is just finishing combing through damp hair when I arrive with the tea, which he accepts without demur and sips at as we talk. As I talk that is, or mildly lecture.

"The next time ye are so beset with this blasted sickness ye will call for me immediately, rather than waiting until ye are completely overwhelmed and rail thin," I scold. "We both know this is not going to go away and the sooner we respond to it, the sooner ye can get back to yourself. There is no project that cannot be put aside to take care of your health. It is my sworn duty and my right to do so."

"I know, Elvellon. I just did not want to be a bother," he explains. "I am sorry."

"Ye are no bother, Lamb," I tell him. "and there is no need to be sorry. Ye just need to keep me informed of your needs so I can do my job. I am going to have to insist on that! Is that plain?"

Again I think that I can see relief in his face.

"It is, Gimli. Thank you."

"Ah well, there is no need for that either," I demur, pulling back the coverlet on the bed and patting the sheet underneath. In our earlier days together he might have resented this sort of action and accuse me of treating him like a child, but today he seems to relish it and obediently climbs in as I add. "And ye needn't worry either, for we will get this thing under control. All ye need to do is relax and let us care for ye, and enjoy your stay here, starting with having a good lie in tomorrow if you can. After that I'll take ye up to the Keep and show ye what my lads and I have been up to in the last months. Would ye like that?"

"I would very much," he tells me, and I am happy to see he looks genuinely interested.

"Then it's a plan," I say, taking the now empty cup and setting it aside on the bedside table. I pull the covers up over his shoulders and kiss the top of his head and he immediately rolls over and composes himself for sleep.

Rather than leaving right away, I sit down next to him and rub his back, feeling the delicate and too prominent bones there. He sighs in pleasure and leans into my touch, reminding me of a very lanky blonde feline. I continue this until he is clearly sleeping soundly, but even then I decide not to leave, but rather prop pillows against the headboard and sit next to him on the bed. I do not intend to spend the whole night there, but I awaken just before dawn with my lad's head pillowed against my shoulder. I do not recall lying down next to him, but that is obviously what happened since I am no longer sitting up. I carefully remove myself out from under him and exit the room, softly closing the door behind me.

Already Dorbryn is there peeling potatoes to fry as Mam is taking out a baking of bread made from a sponge she started before retiring to bed last evening no doubt. Everyone is taking extra care to whisper and move quietly so as not to disturb my elfling, most likely under the strict orders of Lady Vonild. Still everyone is very excited, especially Greirr for it has been nearly five years since he has last seen Legolas. For one reason after another it has worked out that my nephew has not happened to be in residence when Legolas was visiting, partly because of spending long spells with Lady Vonild in Erebor in the last few years since Lord Gloin died. In fact the funeral may have been the last time they've seen one another. My elf may be surprised and a little dismayed at how much Greirr has changed and matured over the last few years, though it is hard to see it just at the moment since he is practically squirming with excitement like a dwarfling on Midwinter's morning! It is all his mother can do to keep him still.

"For Mahal's sake, lad, do keep quiet and find something useful to do," she admonishes, handing him a stack of plates to place on the table, "I know you are excited about our guest, but you will see him very soon. You are fidgeting like a child in need of the facilities."

Greirr flushes, at this comparison, for he is nearly an adult now after all, but still he complains.

"But it may not be soon enough. I am to meet Master Telchar just after break of fast and I will not be free again until tonight."

Master Telchar is a master jeweler who has taken Greirr on as an apprentice. The lad has done very well under his tutelage and takes the work very seriously, as do Greirr's parents, and the good Master himself, so no doubt Greirr will not wish to be late for their meeting. But still today is a special occasion.

"Perhaps it would not hurt too much if ye were to skip this one day of instruction with Master Telchar to spend with me having a look at the new aqueduct," I suggest, ignoring the dark look coming from my sister. "I promised to take Legolas to see it, so ye could come along to visit with him and see the project at the same time and kill two birds with one stone."

Greirr looks pleadingly at his mother, who continues to look stern, but it is Thorûr who tips the scale in Greirr's favor.

"Oh let the boy go Dorbryn," he says indulgently. "He has worked hard after all and one day off can't hurt. He has earned it."

So rolling her eyes in my direction and shaking her head at her husband, my sister gives in and agrees that her son may take the day out of his studies 'just this once', though I intend to attempt to talk her into more later on. Greirr bites back a cheer of joy, but he cannot hide his broad smile at his good fortune. After than Greirr sobers a little and asks me how he must treat Legolas when he sees him, letting me know that someone has explained about my elf's ailment to my nephew. Mam is a firm believer in keeping family matters in the open behind closed doors, which will be why she has explained things to everyone here, but she also believes in keeping our business to ourselves out among others, meaning no one is to talk of this or any other family business to outsiders.

I tell Greirr that the best thing he can do is to keep the lad engaged and busy with anything that will keep his mind active and focused on things other than the call. Greirr looks thoughtful as if he is considering this, making me wonder what he might be scheming, but then I laugh to myself for even Greirr couldn't come up with a devious plan so fast!

It feels strange not to hurry off to make it up to the keep at first light, but today I plan to let my lad sleep as late as he is able, so I busy myself with sketching out plans to extend the aqueduct even beyond the city of Edoras, where we plan to end it now. The purpose of building such a structure is to make it easier to transport goods from Aglarond and Hornburg to the city of Edoras and vice versa. In the many years that I have been living here I have seen the toll it takes on good horses and ponies or even mules to pull wagons laden with goods over the hills and valleys the sixty miles between here and Edoras. More often than not, the wagons must be repaired before the return journey can be attempted and in all but the driest part of summer, they tend to get mired in mud on the dirt roads. A nice wide aqueduct means that horses or mules can be trained to pull a raft that is hitched to them and floats in the canal beside them. There are no wheels to repair, no mud to get stuck in and a single horse can pull a much larger load. Even a man or dwarf is able to pull much more than he could carry in his arms if the load it is being buoyed on the water on a raft.

Already the men of Edoras and the Hornbug, along with my dwarves have dug the canal, and diverted some of the water from the River Snowbourn to flow in it. All there is left to do now is complete the sluice gates and finish the weir that will raise the water at the front of the aqueduct where goods can be loaded into barrels or onto rafts. It will be only a matter of days before we can give the thing a test run to see how it goes. I have been quite excited for it, and I am more than a little happy to think that my lad is here to see it. Not only because I will enjoy sharing this accomplishment with him, but also because it will be something to see and remember and distract him from his worries.

It is actually nearly mid morning before Legolas finally emerges, already looking greatly improved and happier. It is a good long time later before the three of us are finally on our way up to the Keep.