Eoela began to make her way back to the infirmary but Arwen was not having any of that. She had visited her father as soon as she arrived back and found Eoela asleep looking very uncomfortable in the chair. She could see in Eoela the same determination as her father displayed. However she was not elven and would only sicken herself in her selfless care and dedication. She needed to take some time to herself before returning to her self imposed duty of nursing Elrond back to health, and Arwen intended to ensure she got that time. Still, with arms linked she gently led them into the gardens where the evening plants were just beginning to release their aroma and the garden was cloaked in a haze of perfume.
Gently coaxing her charge on a tour of the gardens, pointing out various herbs and discussing their usage in healing. They spoke at great depth on the benefit of lavender as a hair rinse, what colour dresses the dress maker would make for her and how well the children had settled in until the clean, clear sound of a bell rang from the hall.
'At last, dinner! I don't know about you but I'm starving,' Arwen said.
'I must quickly go and check on Elrond first,' Eoela said.
'Oh no you don't! If I let you back into the infirmary I'll never get you out for dinner. Estel is well able to watch over Ada while he's sleeping and I'm sure he'll call you if anything happens. Come along now, everyone is waiting to meet our new healer.'
'I'd rather not- I don't really like crowds- I mean maybe I'll eat in my room-' Eoela stuttered.
Suddenly her two arms were firmly grasped and she was lifted from the ground and carried towards the hall.
'Elladan! Put me down at once or you'll hurt your arm!' she exclaimed.
'I'm in no danger of hurting my arm at all. See, it's still in the sling. It's Elrohir who's on the other side. You can't spend your life hiding in your room or the infirmary. You've got to meet people sometime. We're all quite tame, you know!'
She was carried none-too-gracefully into a large room. One end was occupied by a raised dais with a table on it and the centre of the room was dominated by a long wooden table. There was a mixture of men and elves sitting around the table eating and talking.
'It's pretty much serve yourself on working days,' said Arwen. 'Grab a plate and help yourself to what you like. There's wine, water, bread and fruit on the table.'
'Oh fabulous, my favourite!' Elladan said. 'Venison stew. Could you help me Eoela? It's a bit difficult with just the one arm.'
She had soon served him a large bowl and carried it to his place.
'Hurry up and get some for yourself and come and join us. Everyone is so keen to hear all about your story,' Arwen told her. She returned to the serving table and decided to also try the stew. Carrying her bowl she returned to the table and sat between the twins. Opposite was Gandalf, Arwen and the small man from the children's hall. He was tucking into an enormous bowl of the stew that was almost as big as he was.
Gandalf smiled at her. 'Hello again, how are you faring?'
'I'm fine, thank you. Everyone is making me so welcome. It's a little overwhelming.'
He nodded. 'Yes, they can be a bit too friendly sometimes.'
She took a mouthful of the stew, 'This is delicious! Do you always have such marvellous food?'
'Mostly,' replied Elrohir. 'Mind you, I've noticed that there's only one choice of dessert for tonight. We usually have at least two.'
'I think I'll have another bowl of that stew,' said the small man. 'Anyone else want more?'
Eoela was astonished, she had already seen this man eat a full dinner with the children earlier in the evening.
Gandalf smiled at her expression.
'Eoela, let me introduce you to Bilbo Baggins, our resident hobbit, he's here on a visit and doing his best to eat Lord Elrond out of house and home.'
Bilbo looked indignant. 'I don't eat that much! Not for a hobbit, anyway.' He left, heading for the serving table.
'I don't believe it,' Eoela said. 'He ate a huge dinner in the Children's Hall not more then two hours ago-'
This set everyone around her to laughing.
'Two hours? He managed to last two hours without a meal? Maybe he's sickening for something!' Arwen laughed.
'I've know hobbits for many years now and can truthfully say that they are all the same. They love to eat. They'll eat seven meals a day if they can get it, breakfast, second breakfast, morning tea, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. They are also partial to snacks in between, just to keep their strength up, you know,' Gandalf said.
Eoela shook her head in disbelief. 'He shouldn't be able to move with eating all that food. Don't they get fat?'
'No not really. Not any more than they are already! And they seem to be able to digest huge quantities of food with no ill effects. But they also can go a long time without eating at all,' Gandalf replied.
'Some sort of survival trait, left over from times were not so good, maybe,' Elladan said.
'Have you finished discussing my eating habits?' Bilbo asked haughtily as he returned to the table carrying another bowl of the stew and an gigantic slice of some sort of fruit pie. 'Don't listen to a word they say, Eoela, I have a very fast metabolism and I need to eat a lot to keep my strength up.'
'Hmm, to sleep the day away until your next meal you mean?' Elrohir said with a snigger.
'I'm writing my book! Brain work is hard work and I'm not sleeping, I'm resting my eyes.'
Eoela could tell from comments being made around the table that this was a long standing discussion but there was no animosity in the banter of words, just friendship and joy in each other's company.
She let her eyes roam around the room, taking in the tall windows and the beautiful view, the fair folk sitting around her and talking over their empty plates. She was amazed at the number of humans who lived in the hall along side the elves. She gazed around the hall, the windows with their gossamer drapes, the high, graceful columns stretching towards the doomed ceiling with its decoration of stars. The walls were hung with superbly woven tapestries depicting various historical events that the folk of Imladris had witnessed. Her eyes were drawn to one in particular portraying a battle of three armies; Orcs, Elves and Eagles picked out against a golden sun. It was so placed that the evening sunlight pouring through the windows struck it fully, seeming to bring it alive.
Arwen had noticed Eoela's interest in the tapestry and leant across the table.
'Beautiful isn't it. It's one of Naneth's. If you like I'll show you the bit I was allowed to do, right in the corner so if I made a mistake it wouldn't show.'
Eoela was incredulous, 'You helped make that?'
Arwen nodded. 'Yes, But I was only very young at the time…only twenty or thirty.'
'But that must be hundreds of years old. Oh, I forgot, I keep thinking that you're still young. Oh no, that sounded terrible didn't it?'
Arwen pouted. 'I am still young, well in Eldarin terms,' she laughed. 'It's so difficult when you live with humans and Hobbits and all sorts. Everyone ages at a different rate. Did you know that hobbits aren't considered adults until they're thirty-three? I think with humans it's twenty-one, isn't it?'
Eoela nodded. 'So how old are elves before they're considered adults?'
'Only a hundred of course,' Arwen replied and then laughed at the expression on Eoela's face. 'It's terribly confusing, isn't it? When I was little I'd be talking or playing with a new friend thinking we were about the same age and it would turn out that I was at least double their age if not more. Look at Estel, he's only just thirty, that's why Ada let him join the rangers a few years ago. Can you believe that?'
'I must admit I'd have thought he was older, he's very mature.'
'That's what comes of being raised with the Eldar. Ada still worries about him terribly. He's always turning up with holes in him or something broken.'
