'Commander, do you have a moment for one of our visitors?'

Triwathon looked up; Hannith was in the doorway, the tall form of Master Lindir visible behind her. He waved them both in.

'Yes, of course. Master Lindir, how may I help?'

'Our friends Celeborn and Elladan are going to the fire-struck villages today; Mel and I would rather not go…'

'You do not have to, if you prefer to stay here.'

'In fact, we'd like to go back to the earth-cave, if that's possible, and we know we can't go without an escort. Could you help, please?'

'Ah. I am expected to accompany Master Melion this morning; I am free later, I think… Yes, Hannith?' he added, hearing his captain clear her throat.

'Sir, the Starlight Gemstone leaves shortly after the day meal; I think you may be expected to see the the convoy off in your official capacity as Garrison Commander… However, I know the way to the earth-cave, and would gladly escort our friends.'

'Thank you, Hannith. Lindir, I hope that is acceptable to you?

'Well, we really wanted you, Commander. Captain Hannith is lovely, and able, of course, but… You know how it is, and… yesterday…'

Triwathon linked his fingers together and considered. The truth of the matter was that he really, really did not want to take any of the visiting elves to see the burned villages and the destruction of the forest, so that Lindir's suggestion was very welcome. It was his duty, however, to stand next to the Chief Elf…

'Sir?' Hannith spoke up. 'I know it's not quite protocol, but the warriors providing the honour-guard for Lord Celeborn's party are all drawn from my company. This being so, it makes sense for me to lead the visit, if my commander sees fit?'

'That's very kind!' Lindir said. 'Captain, thank you!'

'In that case, very well, Captain Hannith. I'll speak to the Palace Office personally about this, make sure Master Melion knows not to wait for me. Lindir, when do you and Master Melpomaen wish to set off?'

'As soon as we may, please.'

'Very well. Let me speak to Master Melion. We'll meet at the main gates in half an hour?'

'Thank you, Commander! We'll be there!'

'Good morning, Commander, and how may the Palace Office serve this morning?' Master Melion said with a formal bow. 'If you are come to enquire when I will be ready to escort the visiting dignitaries on their journey to the villages, I am waiting for them, in fact…'

'No, although it concerns their walk. It's just to let you know...' Triwathon broke off. Beyond Melion to the back desk, Merenor was waving at him in a friendly, almost-urgent sort of way. 'Master Merenor, good morning! Where's your grandson?'

'Last minute packing, Commander! I wonder, would it be possible for you to remind Canadion we leave promptly after the day meal?'

'I'll have a message taken to him, if I don't see him myself.'

'Commander, before you go…' Melion began. 'Now that I am in charge, we will need to decide when to have our daily meetings; I anticipate there will be a noticeable difference in the number of matters on which you are expected to consult as I am perfectly able to run matters and you will only need to implement my…'

'Twice weekly, Master Melion, in that case, either mornings at breakfast or before the supper hour. You choose.'

'Twice…? No, you cannot mean it!'

'Well, if you think weekly will do… Master Faerveren insisted we meet daily, but I don't see the need. Not now you're in charge, that is…' Triwathon looked past him to make sure Merenor was paying attention, knowing he would enjoy the riposte; he was rewarded by a broad grin and a cheery wink. 'So, thank you, Master Melion, but I was about to tell you something and was distracted. I'm going to be escorting Masters Lindir and Melpomaen elsewhere instead; Captain Hannith and a selection of her company will have the honour of going with you.'

'Do I understand aright, you are not attending with me?'

'Not today, no.' Triwathon smiled and backed away. 'You're in good hands, with Captain Hannith.'

'But that is most… I am not sure I can permit…'

'But you see, the Garrison and the Palace Office share the duty of overseeing the New Palace. I was letting you know from courtesy; there's really nothing you can do about it, I'm afraid, without the king's direct orders. Until later.'

He escaped the office and collected a cloak and his bow and quiver before heading to the gates. Melpomaen and Lindir were, as promised, waiting for him.

'You're smiling, Commander!' Melpomaen said, with a smile of his own. 'It's good to see.'

'Yes, an exchange with Master Melion.'

'Oh? He struck us both as a very serious elf, in truth.'

'Well, that's true, he is hardly frivolous. Perhaps I am simply pleased he was willing to let Captain Hannith substitute for me so that I could escort you, my friends. So, shall we walk?'

The weather had grown colder, so that the snow had crystalized with the frost, glittering and sparkling as if thousands of tiny jewels were scattered wantonly across the forest. Triwathon matched his pace to that of his companions, but neither seemed in haste, and they walked easily, content to look about them without conversation for most of the journey.

Lindir broke the silence first, coming to Triwathon's side just before they left the wider track for the narrow trail.

'Mel was telling me what you said to him,' he began. 'That sometimes one can talk memories into a Starlight Stone for hours, and still not be done, and that it can be because one is saying the wrong things…'

'It does happen sometimes. I hope you don't feel so?'

'Not any longer, my thanks. You see, we went to the Quiet Room this morning, and I… found the words I needed, at last. So I wanted to come this morning, to repeat them to the tree. Is that… is that foolish?'

'I do not think so. In fact, once a stone is gone to its housing, people sometimes visit the place their loved one lies, to talk to them there. I see little difference, really. But I am glad you have found the comfort you need.'

'Thank you. I think I really have.'

They reached the beech on its mound and Triwathon wondered how he had never noticed before how graceful and lithe its limbs, how, although it was not the tallest beech he had ever seen, something about it – perhaps the rise on which it stood, perhaps the habit of its growth, made it seem taller than it really was and gave it a special stature and importance. The soft, tawny sheen of its bark captivated him; it was suddenly, irrevocably, the loveliest thing ever…

Mel was speaking, his voice definitely happier than during the night.

'We talked this morning, Lindir and I, and I mentioned something you said, Triwathon; that you had loved our friend, and I had loved him, and now it was Ecthelion's turn. But, in his own way, Lindir loved him, too. As a mentor, as a friend, as...'

'As a saviour, really,' Lindir said. 'For he saved me, once, and when I was afraid, he showed me that… that he still had fears of his own. He shared that… that secret of himself with me, so that I became less afraid because of it. And it's true; I did love him, but now… now, yes, it is Lord Ecthelion who will care for him and love him, and I can be grateful to have known him, and been cared for, in a particular way, by him. I loved him, and I will miss him, especially when the fear… but no. That is not what I wanted to say. I told the stone: thank you, for rescuing me, and continuing to rescue and protect me. I am grateful; I loved you and I will miss you. It's time to let you be loved by another now.'

'And me,' Melpomaen said. 'My Findel-friend; I loved you, and I miss you… I hope your Ecthelion loves you as much as you deserve; if anyone could, I am sure it is he.'

It seemed to be Triwathon's turn. He looked again at the tree, and suddenly no longer saw Glorfindel's last resting place; instead, he saw only Parvon.

'I miss him, I love him, I…' He turned and stared at Mel and Lindir, and shook his head. 'I do, I love him!'

'We all did,' Melpomaen said softly, a hint of confusion. 'But… Findel is Ecthelion's now…'

'He is indeed, yes, of course he is, I did not mean him…'

'Then…?'

'Parvon. This, this is the tree he resonates with, and I… I Parvon. I love him. I… all this time we worked together, I thought we were just… companionable, good friends, I never thought I could… but… I think I do!'

'Then I am happy for you!' Mel came over and hugged him gently, kindly. 'And may I say, Parvon is a lovely elf, he was so kind and helpful with us, I am sure you will be happy together for I know he missed you dearly.'

'Thank you, I… yes. Thank you.' Triwathon tried to run his hand though his hair, his fingers tugging at his braids. 'Oh, I am such a fool!'

'As long as you tell him that, I am sure it will be well! But what will you do now?'

'Now? I… well, the king's orders are that he stays at the Old Palace and I stay at the New… it is not easy. I could write to him, I suppose; I am sure Master Merenor, or Master Faerveren would take a letter, I… oh, this is… I did not know it could feel like this! Lindir! Lindir, do not worry, do not fear, for you have Melpomaen to care for you now, I…'

'We should get back,' Mel said softly. 'You, my friend, our friend, you have an important letter to write.'

'Yes.' Triwathon nodded, 'yes, I do, and I must start with an apology, for I am weeks late writing… But… I am cutting your visit short, if we leave now…'

'I am content now,' Lindir said. 'And, if I need to come again, we will be here for a little while longer, I think. There will be tomorrow, or the next day.'

'As Lindir says,' Melpomaen chimed in. 'This morning felt like the last thing left to do for our friend; to properly release him with our love. And how swiftly that has had repercussions for you, Triwathon; you allowed your love to be cared for by another, and almost at once you realise who your fëa really needs!'

Triwathon smiled.

'Yes, for it does seem so, does it not? Oh, how I have missed Parvon! Well, if you are ready, shall we go?'

Back at the New Palace, Triwathon parted with Melpomaen and Lindir and went in search of Captain Canadion. The elf was in one of the weapons stores, sorting out his marching gear.

'Good morning, Commander! You seem to have a spring in your step this morning; is it because you're finally getting rid of us?'

Triwathon laughed. 'Well, I don't think it's because your esteemed brother is taking charge, let us say! No, I… I think I'm feeling less weighed-down with sorrow now. However, I come with a message from Master Merenor; he says to remind you they're getting under way directly after the day meal…'

'In fact, it is an hour after, but I will not quibble, because I know Ada thinks I leave a scatter of things around and will suddenly find I need to tidy them! Thank you, though. We will be ready.'

'Good, I expect to be there to see you off. Until later.'

Leaving word he was in his office, but not to be disturbed except for utter and dire emergencies, Triwathon closed the door and settled behind his desk with a sigh. He pulled out various writing implements and sat staring at them for what felt like forever.

Finally, he thought he was ready.

'My very dear friend Parvon,' he began.

'I owe you a letter. More than that, I owe you an apology. Many, many apologies, but there is not time to apologise enough for it all… sorry. No, that's not it, that's not the apology, I meant…

'Should I start again? I think I should start again, but that's what happened last time, and I kept starting again, and again, and I ran out of time, and almost of writing ink.

'So. I had started a letter, the usual sort of thing, you know, but then I mentioned the visitor you sent me, Thindorion, from the Old Palace. I couldn't tell from your letter warning me of this visit, if you knew I knew him, or that we had been good friends, once. Not quite Very, Very Good Friends, if you follow, but he had been kind in other ways.

'We were very glad to see each other, and I wrote cheerfully to you of archery practice with him the next day, and then things caught up with me, that evening, we got talking and…

'I ran out of time. More, though, I ran out of courage, because after all I said about not ever drawing as close to anyone again as I had to Glorfindel, about being dazzled forever by him… I found Thindorion helped me move past that. I think you know, as close as you are to me that he and I became… what we had not been. But he is leaving, and I hear he and you have become friends, and that is both pleasing and alarming.

'I do know that it is none of my business, Parvon, whom you befriend, and I am sorry if I have brought you distress.

'I have spent much of the last two days with Melpomaen and Lindir; they speak very highly of you, and I am glad they like you. I like them, it is impossible not to, I think, even though they wish for repeated visits to their friend's resting-place. I was there with them this morning, and that's when I saw, when I realised fully how foolish and silly and stupid I have been; it is not easy to say, Parvon, but…

'You were right, I think, and I have been wrong; perhaps we really are fëa-mates, perhaps we could be happy together in more than a working relationship; in short, Parvon, I want, that is if you can forgive me, I would really, really like it if…'

A hammering at his door interrupted. With almost a sense of guilt, Triwathon shoved the partially-written letter in the drawer, locked it away even as he called for whomever it was to enter.

'And it had better be an emergency!' he added as the door opened.

Master Melion entered, frowning.

'That rather depends on whether or not you classify a missing dignitary as an emergency,' he said. 'Lord Celeborn is lost in the woods!'