'Come in, be welcome!' the prince said, stepping aside for them to enter and look about. 'Govon will be here soon; he's just dressi… changing out of his uniform.'

An air of nonchalance and a light flush to Legolas' cheeks made Parvon hastily turn to an examination of the room as he tried not to spend too much time wondering whether he himself blushed when finding excuses for being late after becoming delayed by the demands of marital pleasures…

Legolas' rooms were a model of understated elegance. Although not overly spacious, they were large enough to contain both seating area and dining space. Dotted around the room, lanterns carved from soft, pink-and-amber rock salt gleamed softly and added to the mood of the room, further enhanced by the fire that tongued and danced in the hearth. Chairs and settle were placed around the fireside while a large table was set against a side wall. The rock wall there had been carved to resemble the trunks of trees with trailing foliage across them. In the ceiling, a lightwell let in a glimpse of the night sky, the stone carved into branches and stems to suggest the arch of a tree and the heavens glimpsed between leaves. 'This is beautiful work, my prince!' Parvon exclaimed as he seated himself at the table on Legolas' gesture. 'Your friend Gimli's hand again?'

Legolas nodded avidly.

'Yes, he came himself, bringing some of his kin. Many are working to make Minas Tirith strong again, but he spared some time for us here. As I say, there is much to be done… but we have room to shelter our people under stone, at least. Your room is sufficient, I hope?'

'It is fine, my prince.'

'Your friends in the company are already complaining, but it is not for long, after all.'

'Oh?' Parvon tipped his head. 'You spoke earlier about your hospitality here being for the night; is the date of sailing settled, then? I have managed to avoid my fellow Walkers since we arrived, but they will want to know… particularly if they have gone from wide skies to cramped rooms in stone…'

'And yet the number of times, on the journey, I have heard them muttering about feeling exposed!' Triwathon put in. 'Parvon, accept it – the naneths especially will never be content.'

'As I say,' Legolas put in, 'it is not for long. But to answer you – no, the date is not set in stone. I understand there are two days this month better than the rest, when the river is running high and the river traffic is less, and several which are a bad idea, but other than that… no, it is just that tomorrow, your company will be settled in new, and better, lodgings in Osgiliath. So I suppose you need not see them at all, unless you wish it.' The prince broke off as Govon entered from behind a curtain at the back of the room. He kissed his husband on the cheek and nodded to Parvon and Triwathon.

'Good to see you,' he said. 'You especially, Triwathon – no disrespect, Parvon…'

'None taken, of course.'

'…but your husband there might just be the answer to my latest prayers…'

'As you I hope are the answer to my own issues, Parvon.' Legolas poured wine, raised his glass to them. 'To old friends, and new opportunities…'

They returned the toast, not quite sure what had been meant, but before Parvon could ask, Govon had announced he was going to bespeak the meal from the kitchens, and the moment passed. Once Govon had left, Legolas gathered his thoughts.

'Where was I…? Oh, that's right.' The prince set down his wine. 'Lodgings for those taking ship. Well, it was thought that they would like time to get used to the idea of the ship – that's where she'll be moored for boarding, the quay near the lodging, perhaps they may wish to pick up some things from the markets near at hand. Besides, that's where the other passengers are lodged – we knew there wouldn't be room for everyone in the caverns, and to be fair, I'd rather have my own people here than guest Noldorin elves…'

'There will be Noldor on the ship?' Triwathon asked, startled.

'Yes, did you not know? Not that it matters, of course, but when we began building, we had many, many requests for berths – it was with difficulty I reserved the ones you require for our Silvans, Parvon – and the elf you sent, Ravomen…? He has even sold the two spare berths he was hoping to keep for him and his wife's stores I cannot approve it, of course, but he argued that the stores he would have taken were costly and to just abandon them, expensive, even though I suspect he will sell the wares on…'

'I did not know there would be Noldor!' Triwathon said, uninterested in Master Ravomen's shady dealings. 'Did you, Parvon?'

Parvon nodded.

'From the start, I understood it to be a collaborative venture,' he said. 'At the time, however, it did not have the same relevance to me that it does now. My prince, please do not misunderstand. It is not Noldor themselves that I mind – I am thinking more of the naneths' reactions, particularly those whose knowledge of the long history of our world is a little shaky…'

Legolas laughed.

'And yet these are the same naneths who were grateful that our friend from Gondolin died killing our dragons,' Triwathon said. 'It is hardly fair in them…' He turned to Parvon. 'I could wish we would not have to suffer their opinions, my love…'

'It will not help matters that your father commanded that I keep the presence of Noldor private, withheld from the rest of the travellers.' Parvon gave a shrug at the vagaries of the king. 'Other elves being fellow-passengers, yes, that they know, but not the nature of those others. Galadhrim were mentioned, too, which will make for an even more interesting dynamic; I hope we can avoid any kinslayings, at least.'

'Yet it should be for a few days only, surely, that you must endure the wrath of the naneths?' Legolas queried. 'Besides, you are here and they are there, you will not have to endure for longer than tomorrow morning, when they go off – unless you choose to wave them off at the quayside, which would be courteous, but hardly necessary…'

'My prince, either you have not yet read the missives, or your good father is being uncharacteristically reticent,' Parvon said, deciding to make his plans known now, where he could be informally stubborn if need be. 'I am sailing on the ship with the rest of the company, and Triw with me.'

'But… Parvon, I thought my father had sent you to be my advisor! I told him quite clearly that I need support from someone who knows how to deal with Men…'

'I am sorry to disappoint you, my prince, but I have less experience of men than you, I think. You, at least, count several amongst your friends.'

'But you can't sail!' Legolas exclaimed. 'There… there is no room in the boarding house! Nor will there be on the ship!'

'Of course, Thindorion now requires a double berth for the ship, as will Triw and I, but there ought to still be space for Triw and I on board, and this boarding house also, since the numbers previously given you are greater than our need?'

'But… I…'

Triwathon reached out to take Parvon's hand. With a voice that hardly trembled, he addressed the prince.

'My husband's brother died in battle,' he said. 'Parvon has no kin here, the work of his heart – of both our hearts – has been taken from us. What he built there, at the New Palace – it would have been magnificent, a perfect centre for the reduced kingdom. But now what was to be his life's work, has been ripped from his grasp. He has no heart to stay, and my place is beside him.'

'I am sorry.' Legolas reached across the table to clasp Parvon's shoulder in a gesture of sympathy. 'I've lost brothers, too, but to illness, not to death, of course. I can only imagine… Yes, as proud as I am of our work here, if that were to fail… no, it would break my heart, too. But I, at least, have my father.'

Parvon nodded. 'Although… no, it was not what I built, Legolas. It was what we built together, Triw and I. His garrison supporting my work, my backing of his plans so that we grew slowly, but safely. Or we would have, if…' He broke off with a sigh, remembering arguments with village elders, trying to set him and Triw against each other, how it had never, ever worked… 'And I thought we could rebuild, after the dragons. It would not have been easy, but the forest would have nurtured us. But your father…' He spread his hands in what was almost a gesture of despair. 'He has done what he always does. He is bringing his people home, he is gathering them in to keep them safe. He does not care if they rage at him, if he tramples their lives' works, for dead elves do not rage and at least… at least they are alive to rage at him…'

'Parvon… I am not my father…'

'No, for which I was most grateful when I became your personal advisor…'

The prince laughed suddenly. 'Ai, Parvon, I had such hopes when I heard you were bringing the gemstone…! You cannot blame me if I try to persuade you, still? After all, there is always another ship… in fact, so many elves enquired, that we have already begun construction on a second vessel…'

It was perhaps good that Govon arrived back, then, with the news that the servants were just behind, bringing food, and providing a welcome change of topic. They talked as they ate, with more eating to start, for fresh meats and fruits had been lacking from Triwathon's and Parvon's meals for some time.

'To happier things, then,' Legolas suggested presently. 'Tell me, Parvon – however did you manage to catch your warrior at last?'

'I hardly know!' he said, smiling at Triwathon. 'I am just so delighted that we are together, I have not examined the how of it too closely…'

'In short, my prince, Parvon decided to sail but omitted to let me know – I was still at the New Palace, while the king had called him home to the Old Palace to serve. With Parvon away, I became aware of a sense of… incompletion. I did not understand, I thought I missed his friendship, his wisdom… I only realised I would be missing half my soul when I discovered he would sail without me. And so I came to the Old Palace to find him already gone, and hastened to follow his party…'

'And I heard his signal in the forest, he dropped out of the canopy to land at my feet and had the gall to ask why I was sailing without him, didn't I know he loved me? And until that moment, I didn't!'

Triwathon laughed.

'He was so cross with me! But we passed beyond that, and have taken short vows. For the world is still uncertain, and in Valinor, we will pledge forever, and know we have a forever in which to prove ourselves. But enough of us, my prince; how is your colony? All seems in excellent heart!'

'It is a good beginning, certainly; we were hoping, I must admit, that some of your companions might look around and decide to stay here for a time… if nothing more, it would make some room on the ship… but I digress. We are happy, in ourselves, and this would make an ideal location for those whose previous posting ended not through their own faults, but…'

'Your fare is excellent,' Parvon said. 'For those of us who have been so long feasting on Hopeful Stew, proper viands make a welcome change…'

'And you would welcome a change of topic? Forgive me, mellon-nin!' Legolas laughed. 'But if you will give me an opening, of course I will use it!'

'I don't follow…?' Govon said, his voice puzzled and slow. 'Unless… Have you been discussing politics and matters of state already, my fair elf? I thought we had agreed to at least let them eat with us first!'

'It just came up while we were… chatting,' Legolas said, laughing and shaking his head. 'But you are right, of course; I am being a very tiresome host! So, Parvon, forgive me! Here, let me pour you some of this excellent wine; it's brewed locally from the forest fruits, they grow sweetly here, as do many things…!' He paused with the bottle over Parvon's cup, and gave a shrug. 'And there I was, about to extol the virtues and beauties of Ithilien once more! But I will hold my tongue, and let the place speak for itself; you may see more tomorrow, if you wish.'

'I am grateful, Legolas. Very well, then. I will join the travellers tomorrow, in the breakfast hall. Perhaps you would care to have someone make an announcement; that way I will not be expected to know everything but will be on hand to reinforce the announcement. One thing I perhaps do need to know – what would you have me do with the gemstone? You mentioned a room being prepared…'

'I did, did I not…?' Legolas thought for a moment. 'It has not been done quite yet, Govon and I had… other business. But I wondered if you would entrust it to me, overnight? Govon and I both have memories for it, and tomorrow I can have a place prepared while the garrison take their turn with it.'

'Yes, of course you may; in fact, I shall be rather glad not to have the burden of its care any longer.' Parvon rose from his seat, took out the small casket, and bowed over it as he placed it on the table. 'Here it is, my prince, and my thanks for receiving it.'

'Well, I… hadn't expected you to have it on your person, I must admit! I… perhaps it's best left unopened, though, for the moment.'

Govon got up, took the casket. 'I'll put it somewhere safe, Parvon, don't worry. And we'll speak our memories later.'

'Thank you; I think, if you don't mind, and with all respect due him, I've perhaps remembered the Lord of Gondolin enough for one lifetime.'