Ferdan watched the market swirl with evening activity, full of life, laughter, and conversation. All the elves of the city come together with their free evenings to spend it in the wonderous company of each other.

Except of course for Ferdan, who had been sitting on the roof of the belltower since before sunrise. He knew he ought to come down, but he didn't want to. If he came down that meant he would have to face some of his actions of the last few days. A daunting prospect, one he had no idea how to even go about it.

He had been pondering the matter all day, but was no closer to finding a solution. Just as the feeling that he might have to wait to see if the stars whispered any better ideas to him was just starting to creep into his skin, he heard somebody climbing atop the roof.

Confused, he turned his head to look and see who it was, for he had not even Thranduil about this secret place of his. Words would never be able to convey his absolute shock when he realized it wasn't Thranduil, but Prince Oropher.

"Ah, very clever of you indeed." Oropher said by way of warning, crossing the rooftop towards Ferdan.

Through his surprise he managed to ask, "Did Thranduil send you?"

"No," Oropher said with the hint of a smirk, "Should Thranduil haven sent me?"

"No." Ferdan said, turning back to the crowd and ignoring the older elf entirely.

He should have anticipated the fact that I would take much more rude behavior to drive the father of Thranduil away. Oropher sat down next to him.

"Then I suppose it is good that I sent myself, then."

"If you sent yourself here, then send yourself away," Ferdan snapped.

"Not just yet."

Ferdan didn't reply to that, which he knew he should. He just did not have the energy in him, so he stared out at the sea of milling creatures below. He changed the topic instead, "How did you even get up here, anyway?"

He could hear the smile in Oropher's voice, "I might not be an acrobatic menace like my son, but I am not exactly useless either."

Ferdan glanced at him momentarily with a frown, "I do not think I have ever seen you climb so much as a single tree, especially not an entire bell tower."

"The correct motivation is everything, dear child." Slyly, Oropher pushed a small tied cloth bundle over to him without addressing it. Judging by the quality of the fabric, it belonged to Luthien. And judging by the delicious smells, she had stolen fresh food for him.

"She guessed my intentions," Orpher answered without being asked, "I did not tell anybody where I was going."

Ferdan snorted and set to work on untying the perfect knot, "She is good at that."

"So is her mother."

The two fell into comfortable silence while Ferdan munched on a few pieces of fresh baked biscuits, and then moved onto the rest of the meal. Oropher waited until almost all of it was completed before gently asking, "What's wrong, Ferdan?"

He did not take a moment to think about the answer, "Nothing."

Oropher gave him a sympathetic but knowing look, "You stormed out of training three days ago and have not returned since. And I haven't seen you with Thranduil or with Luthien either. I stopped by your house and your Aunt says that she has not seen you with Thranduil for several days either."

Ferdan began to pick at his clothes with dejection, the shame of some of the things he said burning his ears hotter than fire. Nonetheless he mumbled again, "It's nothing."

"Then why did you leave training early?" Orpher asked.

"I don't know."

"Why did you fight with Thranduil?"

"I don't know."

"How come you have been sitting here all day alone instead of in the comfort of your home?"

Ferdan paused, the answer to that one he did know, yet he was seconds away from saying he didn't know again when Oropher interrupted, "I am not here to scold you, Ferdan. I'm here to help you. I'm here to teach you."

"Teach me what?" He asked somewhat defensively.

"To teach you that you do not have to do everything alone anymore."

Ferdan turned to him sharply, not unlike a bird of pray, "I have never been alone, I have a family."

"You do," Oropher agreed, "I was not trying to say that you do not. Only that you have another one as well, and we are always here to help whenever and however we can."

Ferdan stared at Oropher for a very long time, searching for any hint that the words were not offered with one hundred percent sincerity, "But why would you do that? I have nothing to offer you? I'm not special."

Oropher took one of the cookies that was still gently warm, "Family is not about what you can offer, nor if you are special." He took a thoughtful bite and then added, "Besides you have already offered the most priceless of gifts. Your companionship to Thranduil, no easy task."

Ferdan laughed, for perhaps the first time in days, but sombered up instantly, "I don't know why I did the things I did. I have been fighting all the time at home, and I have not been sleeping. Last week my father nearly kicked me out, I had one sister on each leg screaming for me not to go. Then I went to training that morning.. and then it just happened, and it kept happening no matter how much I tried to stop or correct it. I couldn't. I just made it worse."

Oropher gave him a deeply sympathetic look, "I'm sorry you had to experience that, nobody ever should."

Ferdan just shrugged his shoulders, "Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Oropher argued immediately, "What did your trainer say when you came to speak to him about leaving training early without permission?"

At those words, Ferdan physically cringed, "I have not gone back to see him. I do not have the courage, I don't know what to say. Or how to say it. He had a no tolerance policy, I cannot face getting kicked out of that program. It's all I have going for me, I just can't lose it."

Oropher put an arm around Ferdan's shoulders, which to his surprise somehow lifted nearly all the weight off of his body, "I think you will find that many are much more understanding than you first think, if only you take the time to explain your situation."

Ferdan looked over at him hopefully, "Really?"

"Yes, child. You just need to explain what you are going through."

"Oh." The thought had never occurred to him that it might be that easy to solve, in fact, the thought had never occured that the problem could even BE solved.

"As for your father, you are always more than welcome to come and stay with us. You and as many of your family members as you want."

The offer warmed his heart, "I think it is alright for now, but thank you. Should you not speak to King Thingol about it first?"

"Oh, please." Oropher laughed, "Luthien decided you were a part of the family a year ago, he long ago lost any say in the matter."

"Oropher?"

"Yes?"

"Will you go with me tomorrow to speak with the trainer, please?"

"Of course I will."

.0.

Thanks for reading!