'Here we are.' Thindorion halted outside a gated corridor and swung the gates open. 'Our formal business rooms are here, our stores of finished goods and our display hall. This is our waiting and presentation area, where we keep items ready for collection. The real work happens in much less pleasant conditions near the river.'

'Yes, I have heard that the beauty of our coloured fabrics is only achieved by the use of some rather noxious ingredients,' Parvon said. 'It perhaps explains why your trade is not valued as highly as it should be.'

'Much like the office of King's Scribe, I imagine, except that you have to deal with noxious persons. I should think they are harder to wash off than some of the substances I encounter. Let me show you what we have on hand presently. In fact, we're less busy of late, we had been anticipating an order for refurbishing the New Palace… forgive me, it must still be a sore point.'

'True, but then, it is a useful reminder that not only those at the New Palace have been discomfited by its demise…' Parvon stopped to finger a bolt of cloth, dyed a light chestnut tone. 'This is a lovely shade.'

'Summer cloaks for the hunters. We work closely with the spinners and weavers, sometimes dying the raw fibres before spinning, occasionally dyeing the fabric once it's been constructed. Leather, now, that's tricky, it really requires collaborative work with the tannery, especially if it's an unusual colour…'

'Such as blue, perhaps?'

'Now, there you have it,' Thindo said. 'Come to the display room. We can eat, if you like, before I bring forth my difficulty for your consideration.'

Parvon followed his friend and came to a halt inside the doorway, temporarily lost for words. The room was generously proportioned and a series of lightwells pocked the ceiling, although now the only light came from candles and lamps. A table of polished walnut graced the central space, glinting and burnished by the soft yellow glow of candlelight. The floor was smooth, sanded flagstones and all around between the lamps were hangings of similar sort to the panel on Thindorion's door, each themed around a colour, but with varying tone and hue, or else a mixture of different shades in contrast to each other.

'That's the thing with living inside stone,' Thindorion said quietly. 'It is too easy to forget that the world outside is vivid and bright.'

'And for too long we have had to blend amongst the forest for our own safety,' Parvon said. 'Being used, as I am, to sombre tones for my own garments, this is a spectacle, Thindorion!'

'Thank you! They say the colours are brighter yet again, in Valinor.'

'Which you will see for yourself, soon.'

'Indeed. These dyes are all my own recipe, you know. It is true, I work from traditional mixes, but I've added a little touch of my own invention to each. Another of the several things I am arguing with Naru is how many of my specialities I'm leaving with him… but this is centre of the dispute.'

He crossed to a coffer and drew out a folded piece of blue fabric which he laid on the table, and a sample book which he thumbed through to the page he sought. In it was a small patch of the same hue, and underneath the title of the colour.

'I made this specially for a friend's friend, quite some time ago now.'

'I think I know the one for whom you did so,' Parvon said, leaning in to read the name of the shade; it was listed as "Glorfindel Blue". 'I think I see your problem – how can you promote this colour when speaking its name would be to speak the name of one whose name should not be said?'

'Indeed. The key point is whether or not the name can be used, since it was given to the dye when the person in question was alive, and therefore it is not only his name… or whether it is better, since he was afforded Silvan honours, to change the name, lest it disturb his rest each time we have an order. We could just use the same number system given to the component pigments, which would mean when working on the dye there isn't a problem, but this has become one of our best-known, most preferred hues, although I must confess I did alter the pigment list a little, so that the items I made for Triw to give his friend would always be unique… but I doubt it would be as popular under the name "Pigments 23, 20, 61, 19"…'

'My own opinion, formed from conversations with those who have spoken to Lord Námo himself, is that Silvans in the Halls of Waiting do hear their names spoken. Whether they mind, or whether or not this would be so for the Lord of Gondolin, who is not himself Silvan, I could not say. It is a matter of personal interpretation, of belief, I suppose, or if not, then of the beliefs of those who might think it unfitting to continue to use his name. But… could you not rename it?'

'To what, though? The obvious name – Balrog-Slayer Blue – alliterates pleasantly, although it does bring to mind a creature of danger and fire…'

'Something Triw told me, once. He used to say his friend's eyes were too blue. How does that sit with you?'

'It sounds well… "Too Blue…" and it captures the sense of… do you know, that might work?'

'I am glad. So, shall we drink to the renaming of Glorfindel Blue? There is wine in the bag, have you cups?'

Thindorion paused in tidying away the fabric and sample book.

'You said his name; I take it you do not worry about disturbing his rest?'

'Indeed I did; I am sure he has better things to do in the Halls than listen out for an elf he did not particularly care for speaking his name; he has his Ecthelion to talk to. But I am unconventional in this, and would not speak so freely except to a friend. I hope I have not shocked you?'

'In fact, it is rather refreshing, Parvon. And now I can admit, that it is my assistant who thinks the name should be changed, and I who wished to keep it.'

'But if you have altered the balance of pigments, then the true Glorfindel Blue still exists in your notebook, does it not?'

'You're right!' Thindorion laughed. 'I shall take it away with me, and make my first batch in Valinor, where I am sure I will be able to speak the name freely… and perhaps one day even sell garments to the Lord of Gondolin himself, once he is re-embodied.'

'An excellent notion. So, where shall we lay the feast? This table is much too fine for such fare as I bring.'

'My private office is here; there is a small table where I sometimes take my day meal, that will suffice.'

Taking a lamp from its shelf, Thindorion pushed open a door off the main area. It was small, furnished with the usual desk and chairs, and the promised table nestled against a wall. Here hangings of rich colours decorated the walls and gave a sense of the dyer's love of his craft to the area. Parvon unloaded his bag of provisions while Thindorion found plates and cups for wine.

'It is hardly a feast,' Parvon said, laying out bread and meat, butter and cheese, fruit and honeycakes. 'I may have overstated the gifts of the kitchen. But the wine will help.'

'The wine looks like a very good one,' Thindo said, 'But such as you have brought is good. No doubt I will eat less well, on the way to the ship.'

They talked as they ate, and the wine, and the company, added savour to bread and cold venison, cheese and fruit and honey cakes. Although the conversation was light, it seemed, to Parvon, to be peppered with things Thindorion must attend to in the forthcoming days, although the dyer always turned the conversation as soon as he noticed.

The food gone, the wine bottle holding one more glass each. Parvon filled up the cups.

'There is something on your mind, still, Thindorion,' he said. 'Aside from the matter you wish for my opinion on, I think, so shall we attend to that, and then you can share whatever else is troubling you?'

'Yes, there is something.' A sigh. 'And I feel… embarrassed, I suppose, to say it, after your kindness in seeking me this evening.'

'Well, it is better said, than not. What else is weighing on you?'

'Naru. He is hounding me, it feels, and wants this and that and how many of my recipes am I leaving, and there is so much to do before I sail and… he told me I had better things to do with my time than dance attendance on a scribe who wasn't interested in me, and I was never going to be even an adequate shot, so why was I messing about with archery practice when there's work to do.'

Parvon thought for a moment.

'He has a point. Not that I do not think your skills with the bow have not already improved, and although my status here is at times ambiguous, I think any in the King's Office would agree I am rather more than a scribe… but if you feel you cannot spend as much time with me as formerly, well, I do understand; Naru's access to your time is limited, and it is hardly surprising that he is jealous that you share so much of it with me.'

'I… Parvon, I do not think it is jealousy, he has never looked at me with any sort of longing, except for my recipes…'

Parvon laughed. 'No, I meant jealous of your time! I do understand...'

'It is not what I wish, to curtail our friendship on my assistant's whim...'

'No matter.' Parvon gave a self-reflective smile. 'And just as Master Melion has started to suggest I spend more time with you. Perhaps you could point out you would have more time if Naru did not take up so much of it discussing such matters with you?'

This made Thindorion laugh briefly. 'Indeed! My time is still my own, and I think my archery practice is paying off; my aim is definitely improving. So I will not give up practice for him.'

'However, now seems an appropriate moment to mention that we are in expectation of a deputation from Imladris, escorting the Starlight Gemstone assigned to their fallen hero. I expect this will lead to an increase in my own duties, so your colleague will soon find I have demands on my time which free up your own.'

'We should make a point, however, of meeting for the day-meal, or in the Feasting Hall for supper?'

'That would be pleasant, Thindorion – assuming I am not compelled to the high table too often.'

'Have you any notion when this deputation will arrive?'

Parvon shook his head.

'It is all dependent on weather and who comes; we do not know if the escort are used to travelling across the mountains and through the forest. I hope it is soon; I would like to be able to assist them before I grow too busy with other matters. And yet…'

'And yet, it will be hard, won't it? Proper sympathy for them, while there's the reminder of what the Balrog-slayer was to our friend, and all the memories to be spoken… and I'm sure everyone will claim to have a memory of him. I have recollections of my own, although I expect you have much more to say on the matter.'

'Not that I will, of course. I have spent too many Nights of the Names with Triwathon for that.'

'I'm sure you must have done; the arrival of the Starlight Gemstone will not be easy for him… nor for you, either, my friend. I hope it happens swiftly, that the difficulties it brings will soon pass into memory.'