It being decided that, since Cullasbes and Ravomen's' leaving for the Undying Lands was a family matter more than a King's Office issue, Melion would write to Canadion by the next convoy and spare Parvon the trouble.

'…and I am sure Faerveren will wish to see his Daernaneth before she leaves, too,' Melion had added. 'In which case, there will be need of someone with the relevant experience to go to the New Palace, do not you think…? I will certainly put the notion in his majesty's head, for you…'

'I do not think he will listen,' Parvon said sadly. 'But I am grateful to you for the thought. Well. I promised Master Ravomen I would let him know of any developments as soon as they happened… and if I did not think that I am busy until tomorrow, and could only spare time to visit him, perhaps at home, this evening; but I should not like to overstep my authority…'

Melion brightened.

'Oh, I am sure his evening cannot hold anything of equal importance to the work of the King's Office. No, as much as it is in my power to give orders, Master Parvon, I would charge you not to delay, but go to him this evening! I will see you get back the time spent on this errand, I assure you!'

Thus Parvon was tasked with the happy duty of informing Master Ravomen that he had thought of a way to expedite matters, and delivering the message that evening showed just how eager he was to help restore the reputation of the King's Office, of course, and not at all because disrupting Ravomen's evening might cause him any sort of annoyance…

'But I know you!' a regal elleth said, as he stood patiently at her open door. 'Except you went away; you cannot be here, you are elsewhere…'

'Two decades ago, I went to serve in the New Palace, and now I am back,' Parvon said. 'I am currently leading the Division of Matters Transitional, which includes making arrangements for those wishing to travel to Ithilien in order to take ship; your husband asked me to keep him informed of my progress as soon as possible.'

'But it is evening! How very odd of Ravomen, he knows I am going out…'

'Mistress Cullasbes, do not worry; there is no need for you to be present, and therefore do not permit me to detain you; I can speak to Ravomen alone since he came to me so, alone…'

This did not seem entirely to the liking of Mistress Cullasbes.

'And what is it about, may I ask?'

'About arrangements for your potential journey to Ithilien to take ship across the Sundering Seas, Mistress Cullasbes.'

'Oh. That. You had better come in, then. Not that we are not quite capable of arranging our own journey…'

She led the way and called out as she did so, summoning Ravomen from the depths of the rooms beyond the main living area. Parvon was gestured towards a chair near a table on which sat a decanter and glasses, but no refreshments were offered. Not that he was thirsty, but it was polite to ask so that he could refuse with equal good manners…

'What are you doing here at this hour?' Ravomen demanded and then, realising how brusque he sounded, had the grace to blush. 'That is, to interrupt your evening…'

'I have no evenings, Master Ravomen; I am a single ellon and in service of the king. In such cases, one is always on duty. You wished to be informed as soon as I had news of the travel arrangements, if you recall…?'

'Ah. Yes, yes, I see. And is it arranged, then?''

'Not quite. But I thought it best to let you know that the tally of berths available for my reservation is now filled, and I am charged with sending a list, by hawk, within the next few days. If it is still your wish, as discussed, to secure more space than just for yourselves, I can only recommend that one of you set off at once to negotiate…'

'But I do not understand,' Cullasbes said, 'did you not tell him, Ravomen? Master Parvion, did not my husband explain we need more berths…?'

'Parvon, I am Parvon, Mistress. And yes, it was explained to me, and in turn, I explained how it was not possible for me to accommodate you, however much I might wish it. Hence, really, my visit tonight, to suggest alternative means. If you, or Master Ravomen, were to leave tomorrow and make all haste through the forest, then there is an opportunity to negotiate for your baggage space independently, and perhaps better accommodations on board – this is not something I can do, as the Ithilien Project is a joint venture, as I explained to your husband – I am surprised he did not tell you…? No matter.'

'But I cannot possibly be ready so soon! It will take at least a week to put our business on hold, and sort matters, and then there is all the packing…'

'And so one of you travelling alone will be much swifter. The other, meanwhile, should stay and make ready. Alternatively, you could wait for the next ship, but I do not know if our king will send one or if, after this vessel, it will be down to the individual families to do their own planning…'

Ravomen nodded. 'I'll go tomorrow,' he said. 'Cullasbes, dear, you are by far the better manager; I am sure I can leave you to take care of matters here…'

And, seeing said lady preparing to bluster and fluster at her husband, Parvon got to his feet.

'In which case, you must have much to do, and I shall leave you to your evening. If you will let me know when you leave, Master Ravomen, it will be very useful. Goodnight to you.'

Parvon returned to his desk in the King's Office and sat down to add the gist of his conversation with Cullasbes and Ravomen to the day notes. He finished and set down his pen with a sigh. Another odd mood was on him tonight, a sense of anticipation and… and a sort of hunger…

It wasn't the first such episode today; there had been a point during the morning where he had found himself unaccountably shaking and had had to steady himself against the desk for a moment or two while it passed; he had been alone at the time, which was some comfort, for he would not have liked to be observed in such a weakness…

There was nothing quantifiably amiss; just these odd mood swings and tremors, but he was not usually give to such things, and he resolved, if it should happen again, to pay a call to his friend Healer Nestoril; it could probably wait until the next convoy came in, he could see her then, before they both got busy with newcomers…

…thoughts of the convoy brought the dyer to mind, Thindo… no, Thindorion. Odd, how he had contracted the elf's name, perhaps because he had seemed so friendly and approachable. Quite personable, in fact, one might say, attractive, even… and if one were not a one-elf elf, he might be rather appealing. But, of course, he was sailing presently, and that did mean he would be coming back to the Old Palace, at least for a time, and Parvon could…

Could what, exactly?

He shook his head; this was most unlike him. To consider striking up a friendship at all was not in his nature; he had always preferred to let people seek him, to take time in discovering their purpose in so doing before embarking on even the most cautious of acquaintanceships, and so this was an unusual response. Shaking his head, he put it down to his present situation; away from where he wanted to be, and far from the people with whom he wished to spend his time.

He checked and double checked the list of elves who had expressed an interest in taking ship; over the next few days, he would have to speak with them and ask if they had thought through their intentions before they made a firm decision to sail; of course, if they were to get all the way to Ithilien, and change their minds, nobody would make them sail; it was merely that if there were more elves than there were places, it would be fairer to know ahead of time…

A sigh. It was growing late, the lamplight pooled and shadowed in the room, and he had probably missed second serving in the feasting hall; no matter, he thought as he locked up and headed towards his rooms, he could always bespeak something from the corridor servants if he was hungry.

Pausing in the corridor to unfasten his door, he heard a nearby doorway open and an elleth called out.

'Master Parvon? Parvon, are you busy?'

Melion's wife. Parvon reminded himself to smile as he turned. 'Mistress Gilrin! I hope the evening finds you well?'

'It does indeed, very well, and if you have a moment, would you care to step in? That is, we have not yet had supper – my Melion was attending tonight and, as you know, when one attends the king to dinner, you do not get chance to eat at all yourself…'

'I… am grateful, but I could not intrude, and…'

Melion appeared in the doorway behind his wife.

'Parvon, please come in; we are having a sort of celebratory supper and you are very welcome indeed.'

And Gilrin had reached out a determined, friendly hand to take his wrist and pull him towards her hospitality, and so how could he possibly resist…?

Inside, the room felt full of happiness and cheer; Baudh was there, his arm casually around the shoulders of another elf, Oldor, the same whom Parvon had introduced to Baudh, and it was good to see the young elf looking happier. Baudh raised a glass of something in greeting and grinned. Assorted relations and family friends were crammed into the room, sitting on the arms of furniture and the floor, all looking happy to see him… He shook his head as a sort of cheer rose from one corner where Melion's grandchildren were gathered.

'Thank you, Master Parvon!' someone called out.

'You are very welcome, penneth,' Parvon replied with a bow. 'Although I am not sure how I have earned your gratitude.'

'Come, food is ready!' Melion took his arm and led him through ahead of the family to the large dining room which had been created by knocking through into the chambers beyond. 'And I am very glad you happened by when you did; Baudh had offered to seek you.'

'I am grateful, of course, but I am still at a loss…?'

'You have made it possible for me to avoid an uncomfortable journey with That Ellon, for one thing,' Melion said. 'Which in itself is deserving of Gilrin's cooking. But more, that you vouchsafed to me that you categorically did not wish to take over the running of the King's Office.' Melion grinned as he pulled back a chair for Parvon. 'The uncharitable would say, with all this family to find employment for, it is no wonder we are pleased…! But really, Gil and I have been happier here than we ever were down in the southern villages – and there are so many of us, not all could have joined us in Ithilien – we would have outnumbered the colony! So your words have saved us from the contemplation of much upheaval. Ah, here they all come! Sit you, my dears… No, Baudh, not next to Master Parvon, we do not want to form a little workers' cluster… ah, thank you, Oldor… do you know Parvon, Oldor? – oh, of course you will, from the arrival of the convoy.'

'Yes, but we knew each other before; I had cause to seek assistance from the Palace Office and Master Parvon was very kind.' Oldor smiled. 'And very wise, too, and I am grateful for the introduction to Baudh.'

'So is Baudh!' Baudh said, grinning. 'Oh, Nana Gilrin, this looks wonderful!'

'I am not your Nana!' Gilrin said, slapping his wrist as he reached to grab a pot she had not yet set down. 'If you were, you'd have had better manners!'

'And a happier childhood!' Baudh murmured, still grinning. 'But I beg your pardon, and can we EAT now, please?'

It was a convivial, if bewildering, evening. From the gratitude and smiles heaped upon him by relatives of Melion whom Parvon hadn't even realised existed, one might imagine him to have saved Melion's life rather than from just a little social discomfort, but so it seemed. After the meal had ended, he was pressed to stay, and drink a glass of wine, and not only would it have been rude to decline, but impossible to have got to the door…

'Just the one, my thanks. I have matters still to attend to this evening…'

'Take the morning off!' Baudh said. 'Melion and I can cover for you.'

'Of course!' Melion said. 'Although I am sure you work so hard, a morning will do no harm.'

'I am grateful.'

But after he had drunk his wine, Parvon rose to leave; the odd mood was on him again and he wasn't sure if it was the crowd of company causing him to feel disoriented or something else. He thanked Gilrin and found himself hugged, first by her and then it seemed he was passed from elf to elf towards the door until he ended up with Baudh hugging him on the way out.

And, for some reason that entirely escaped him, he hugged back.

'Oh, finally, Parvon, you have succumbed to my persistent charms!'

Parvon stepped away hastily, clasped his hands behind his back.

'Rather, let us say, that as you are now… occupied with Master Oldor, you pose less risk to me. But goodnight, Baudh. My thanks once more to Gilrin and Melion.'