Thanks to Kaisaan Greenleaf and NectarAndAmbrosia for reviewing last chapter, also anonymous reviewer jedininjamellomaster for reviewing Chapter 2.

Let the story continue...

"Naeg!" groaned Aragorn as he and Faramir stumbled through the door "I hate councils, I'm sure orcs created them just to drive kings mad with boredom"

Elrond looked up from his game and gave both men an amused look "Why do you interrupt strategists in the middle of their battles with that unseemly noise?"

Faramir's curiosity was aroused "What are you playing?" he walked forward and peered over Elrond's shoulder

"You call it chess, Elves call it Dagor"

Faramir gave the board a rueful look "The one noble game I was never able to master"

Aragorn laughed as Elrond gave his steward a welcoming look "Don't even say it Elrond, if you teach him the poor man will get so muddled up. It took me 3 years to work out what each Elven name for a piece corresponded to in Westron."

Faramir looked between the two, finally settling on Elrond "Do Elves give the pieces different names?"

Elrond nodded, tapping each piece as he named them "Castle is Minas, Knight is Rochir, Steward becomes Cúnir, Queen becomes Ialor, King is Âr..."

"That's the easiest one" interjected Aragorn "It translates directly to the same thing"

Elrond nodded "Yes... And Solider becomes Adan"

"Adan?" Faramir queried

"Man" translated Aragorn, then with mock dejection "Trust us to get the lowest places"

"Not quite, Hobbits aren't represented" Elrond spoke with half laugh half seriousness behind his words, moving another piece.

Aragorn tilted his head in concession "One day they will be".

There was a sharp clack of wood on wood and Arwen spoke triumphantly "Awarthog dûr Adar?"

Elrond studied the board and then put up his hands in the universal gesture of surrender "Awarthon dûr". He stood up and stretched the kinks from his back. Arwen also rose and Faramir bowed to her, slightly hampered by the large pack of papers he carried.

She smiled sympathetically "More reports?"

"Yes My Lady, we have to read them through thoroughly in order to asses the various problems"

"In that case I will clear the table and leave you to it" the smile she gave them was too bright as she walked into one of the antechambers carrying the board and pieces she and Elrond had been using minutes before. Faramir set down his burden with a sigh and began to spread the papers out over the table. Aragorn dropped into the chair his wife had just vacated, placing his head in his hands before realising that his father in law was still in the room.

"You can go if you want Elrond, no need to join us in being bored to death"

"Nay, I will stay. Erestor taught me a few tricks about lightening these things..." in response to Faramir's enquiring look "Erestor was my Chief Counsellor in Imladris, the closest thing I had to a Steward. He also taught the children and Aragorn their book lessons"

"And don't I remember it" Aragorn muttered under his breath, Elrond wisely chose to pretend that his sharp ears had heard nothing and instead picked up the sheet of parchment that lay closest to him

"Report of damage and compensation required for the region of Anórien after the War of the Ring" he read aloud, the others saw his eyebrows shoot up "Six pages! Anórien is one of the smallest regions in Gondor isn't it? How long will the other reports be if the smallest is that size?"

Aragorn sighed "The others are only three pages at the most of fairly factual information"

"Councillor Arnubên is very long winded and courtly with his ways" stated Faramir regretfully, gathering the rest of the report into one pile "Boromir fell asleep during one of his speeches four winters ago, though that might have been because he'd only got back from a three week patrol that dawn"

Elrond felt his lip curl into a half smile "Give that to me" he held out his hand for the papers "I'll go through them and write out the important bits in shorter terms."

Faramir relinquished the remainder of the report with a relieved look and Aragorn summed up their combined feelings "You're a saviour Elrond. Hannon le."

"You are both welcome, no point wasting time reading between the lines on something when another more important report is written plainly"

The Steward nodded in agreement and passed a different piece of paper to Aragorn "Now my lord, Prince Imrahil writes that Belfalas has had a fine harvest and the villages and towns are prospering, he is willing to send you the surplus stores they cannot hold so they may be distributed amongst more needy people outside his control..."

As the two men ground down into discussions about distribution and rebuilding of damaged settlements Arwen peeped through a crack in the door and smiled, sitting at the end of the table her father was bent over the report, frowning slightly and writing notes. Exactly the sort of thing he'd delegated to Erestor because he disliked it when they were in Imladris. She shook her head, remembering to never try to fathom the reasoning of a male from any race, and went to seek out Éowyn. There at least she might find sense.

Translations

Naeg= (lit "Pain") used in the context of "argh"

Dagor= Battle

Minas= City

Rochir= Horse-lord

Cúnir= Archer

Ialor= Herald

Âr= King

Adan= Man

Awarthog dûr Adar= Do you yield Father?

Awarthon dûr= I yield