'Welcome home and well met, Master Parvon!'

Smiling, Master Melion stepped forward with his arms spread as if to offer a hug; Parvon took a hasty half-step backwards as he placed his own hand to his heart and bowed; that was the thing with Master Merenor's family, they were extremely tactile and affectionate with their friends and relations, and, sometimes, with strangers.

Not that he and Parvon were strangers, of course.

Thranduil's Chief Advisor and Elf-in-Charge of the King's Office didn't seem offended by Parvon's reticence; instead, he turned his gesture into a sweeping bow and beckoned towards an open doorway.

'Baudh! Come out and say hello to Master Parvon!'

'Hello, Master Parvon!' Baudh emerged from his workroom, smiling broadly. Possibly the least attractive of the Merenorion, he was still very well-favoured and the smile and eyes were typical of the family. 'I hope the road wasn't too bad?'

'No, considering the time of year, my thanks.'

'How is everyone?'

Parvon guessed that 'everyone' meant, more specifically, Baudh's kin, and nodded.

'Your Ada Master Merenor and his husband are well, and settling in to take charge of the Palace Office. Faerveren was delighted when his grandfather arrived, and while he now must stay in my stead, he feels well supported. Likewise, your brother Captain Canadion and his Thiriston are in good heart; uninjured during the dragon attack and spending time telling stories to the elflings.'

Baudh laughed.

'That's my brother, always loved storytelling! Well, you and I will be working together on the resettlement project, I understand, so that will be nice. It is almost time for the evening meal, we could eat together in the dining hall if you like…'

'Baudh, leave Master Parvon alone,' Melion said with a shake of his head and a smile. 'He has not time for our silliness! Now, Master Parvon, if you would like to come with me, I will show you your new office, and we can talk a little, perhaps, if you're not too tired?'

He led the way into a room which Parvon remembered had formerly been Master Hanben's workroom; it was spacious, and had large, deep windows that looked out onto a small grassed area and the walls of natural stone beyond, presently black with nightfall. The darkness made him feel heavy of heart suddenly; considering Parvon had once been Chief Advisor to the King, the room was something of a comedown.

He reminded himself it was better than a desk shoved into the corner of the main area and tried to be appreciative.

'Thank you,' he said. 'I'm grateful for a room with windows… and aware that I've been foisted upon you, and in place of your son…'

'He is happy and fulfilled in the New Palace; it was difficult for him to come to his own abilities here, surrounded by family who would help him whether he needs it or no,' Melion said. 'And it sounds as if he has flourished. But that aside – you are not unwelcome, Master Parvon, far from it – the first word I had was three hours ago when the perimeter guard's message reached us and thus I have had little time to organise matters to welcome you! So, as Honour-Ada Hanben's workshop was the best of the unoccupied offices… if you do not like it, we can find you something else in a few days.'

'No, it is a good space,' Parvon insisted. 'I am more concerned, really, about accommodation… I hear the old rooms have been… what, closed up? Turned into storerooms?'

Melion spread his hands and sighed.

'You have to bear in mind that the New Palace was to be our future as well as yours,' he began. 'All but a small proportion of the population were expected to move out, and on. Ithilien, your villages, the wider forest as it recovered and grew bright again; the Old Palace would become a staging post between the New Palace and Ithilien…'

'Yes, although the latter stages of the process were still under discussion when I left.'

'So, a reduced garrison, a smaller King's Office… those who left for new lives, they no longer needed their rooms. Occupation was consolidated, the vacated corridors and areas closed up, put to storage. Including, unfortunately, your own rooms, Master Parvon. But of course, there is still plenty of liveable space, and as soon as we had your hawk we made a start, our king suggesting there may be a need to rehome people after the devastation. And so we have already begun preparing suitable new quarters for everyone… although Baudh would like a list, he says, of exactly each family and what it requires…'

'At present the Healers are giving us shelter; Baudh will have his list in the morning. But already people are asking questions; what of their former chambers, how long will they be homeless? I need something positive to tell them, more than just…'

'My instructions are to say that improvements to the infrastructure of the Old Palace have necessitated the closure of their rooms. Subsequent issues with the plans mean that the intended new accommodations were not finished, and since people were living elsewhere, left temporarily incomplete. But work has already begun…'

'It's not the truth, is it, however?'

Melion sighed again and ducked his head away.

'I know, and it goes against everything I uphold for the King's Office. But it was suggested to me that to tell the people that we had closed up their homes as if we no longer cared for them might seem unkind, although they had no thought of returning.'

'They had not expected to return,' Parvon had said softly. 'They had lives and homes and fulfilling work, friends, and their days had taken on the shape they expected to keep to forever… and then because a message fails we are unprepared for dragons, and people die and their homes burn and our king decides the only way to keep us safe is to bring us all home whether we want to or not, Master Melion, and these with me are the willing ones, there are others who did not want to leave, to be ripped away from everything…'

'And you are one of the unwilling, I think,' Melion said, his eyes rich with sympathy. 'So you understand how hard it is. I am sorry; our king does what he thinks is best for us, but…'

'But sometimes he does not have all the information he needs…' Parvon sighed. 'I believe it was my friend and mentor Lord Arveldir who wrote that into the handbooks…'

Melion smiled.

'Yes, indeed! And I hear he is at the New Palace – how is he?'

And Parvon had no strength to continue with his bitterness and pain, and so allowed the conversation's progression to informality and friendliness – and it should not have surprised him, how friendly both Master Melion and Master Baudh were, but, of course, they were Merenorion, right down the gold-spun brown eyes and easy manners…

It had already struck him how different the mood of the King's Office must be, with Merenor and his family in charge, and wondered what Arveldir would say, if he could see it.

'It is good to see you again, Melion,' he said in a pause, and turned towards the doorway as a hint he was ready to leave.

'Ah, I had almost forgotten; I am supposed to ask… My wife and I have plenty of room, you are welcome to lodge with us until suitable chambers are readied for you; we are grateful for the kindness our Faerveren has met with in the New Palace offices,' Melion said, walking with him through to the main office and towards the doorway. 'It was hard to let him go, even though he is just a few days away; I begin to see what my father suffered through the years he had to work away. But Faerveren loves his place there.'

'He is another whose hopes will be disappointed, then, by this edict. Your son has been diligent and hardworking, and has risen to challenges I never expected him to have to face,' Parvon replied. 'A son to be proud of, indeed. And I am grateful for your invitation – but I think, for the sake of the refugees with me, I should go back to the Healer Halls tonight.'

He made his way back and, after breaking bread with his fellow-travellers, held an impromptu meeting with them – or at least, those who were not restricted to beds for the moment.

'I have discussed our situation over with the King's Office,' he began. 'It seems that while we have been away, a decision was made to create new and better dwellings for the Palace inhabitants…'

This wasn't strictly true, of course; he hoped that the refugees would not think it odd that a place intended to be reduced in importance should have 'improvements' inflicted upon it; of course, it was not his doing, but he was, he supposed, officially King's Office now and would be guilty by default…

He pressed on with the explanation he'd been cautiously fed by Master Melion in the King's Office.

'…so the empty rooms were closed, or used for storage, while the new rooms were being prepared. But something – I am not quite certain what – interrupted the work and it was deemed necessary to begin again. Meanwhile, as it was seen we were settled and comfortable, other work, I gather, took precedence. However, as soon as the news came that there had been dragons, and that the New Palace was to be closed, work began again. The Healers say there is room for everyone in their Halls until such time as…'

'Yes, Master Parvon, but… we have lost our homes,' an elleth patiently explained. 'And we expected at least our old places would be here for us. It is not fair…'

Parvon nodded and sighed.

'I agree, it is most unfair. Nothing about this is fair, we did not deserve dragons, we did not deserve to lose friends and kin to fire and flame, and that I am here, and hale, is a matter I am grateful for, but I have no home either.'

'You have kin, though, do you not?'

'In fact, no. I have no family this side of the Sundering Seas these days.' He made himself smile. 'My brother's name cannot be spoken and my parents sailed to await his restoration from the Halls of Mandos. My fellow-scribes and advisors are the only family I own.'

'Well, it is some comfort to know that we are all in the same situation, Master Parvon,' a second elleth said. 'All of us unhomed. But at least we are not sleeping under the stars tonight; the cold I do not mind, but there is a tang in the air that suggests rain – or snow!''

Parvon made himself smile as another elf came to ask what, exactly, had happened to their previous homes?

'Improvements, apparently,' he replied. 'I am not yet certainly exactly what. But I have been allocated a desk in the King's Office already and my first order of business will be to find out what accommodations are available, and whom they would suit. Until then, the Healers' Halls are comfortable.'

'Yes, but Master Parvon, we had access to a workroom under the trees, and a talan with sleeping space for five and living space as well; how can we change back to living under stone again?'

'It will be difficult, I admit. But my instructions are that everyone is to be within the palace until his majesty our king says otherwise. However, I will speak to Master Melion tomorrow and ask if there are any free talain within the perimeter, but please understand I cannot go against the king's orders. But now, mellyn-nin, if you will excuse me, it has been a long day for us all; I will bid you goodnight.'

He reached the room allocated to him and shut the door with relief; he was already beginning to regret refusing Melion's offer of hospitality; it had been an uncomfortable meeting with the refugees, and for all he had tried to assure them all would be well, he couldn't quite believe it himself…

But tomorrow was another day, and at least he had work to go to.