Journeys

[Varnafindë]

Glorfindel

Swinging down from the roof, Glorfindel dropped the last few feet, and dusted himself off, shaking his head. “I’ve been testing the holes in our watch over the Valley since the two of you left to hunt this morning,� he said, nodding at Rameldir and Ainon. “There are more than I’d like. It turns out the north face of the valley wall is not impassable to a sufficiently determined climber.�

He left the rebuke to the sentries for inattention unsaid. They were all experienced scouts and warriors. The message would be understood from his unexpected presence alone. Besides, there were Haledhel and Thôndir’s lost elves to consider.

“I find I’m not in the mood for architecture just yet,� Glorfindel announced, “Which of the false paths was the one fellow following?�

“It’s…� Haledhel stopped, obviously searching for a specific enough description, “one of the ones that branches off of a game trail that starts near the camp we spotted. That trail goes south-west for a bit before hitting a dead end, but that end crosses a ravine that starts off very shallow and gets deeper going north…? But there are quite a few of those.�

“It’s the ravine with a beryl marking the entrance,� Thôndir put in, “Figured we’d never find the exact one again otherwise. Not till we weren’t looking for it anyway.�

Glorfindel laughed, “Well said! And well done. Between the beryl and the description I think I’ll find it well enough.� Having settled that, Glorfindel didn’t go on, allowing Caranlas to reassert his command after a moment’s pause.

“Kemmótar, Haledhel, go with Ainon and Lord Rameldir to escort the four travelers. I will go with Glorfindel – Thôndir, I want you here to tell others where to start looking if we should all manage to get lost…� Caranlas rolled his eyes as he finished, and Glorfindel could tell he felt that last possibility was a bit ridiculous.
Nevertheless, it was a good precaution. The day was going by fast, and it might be dusk by the time they started back. It happened less often the longer they dwelt here, but it wasn’t just strangers who had trouble finding Imladris. By this point every warrior and hunter in the valley must have gotten turned around and forced to wait for their companions to find them at least once, Glorfindel himself included.

“Rendezvous at the Old Pine outside this entrance?� Glorfindel suggested when everyone was sorted.

This was met with nods of agreement.

“If you’re going unarmed,� Rameldir said a little later as he and Caranlas split off, “Think before you test your stealth on a stranger, cousin!�


Rameldir

Kemmótar had taken over carrying the deer for a while. Rameldir had suggested that they leave it by the Old Pine and pick it up later, but the two sentries had protested – no reason to leave good food lying around in the forest where wolves might run away with it. Rameldir agreed that they had a point.

He asked Haledhel to lead the way, since he had seen the camp. Haledhel nodded and started to thread his way through the forest.

They hadn't gone far before Haledhel raised his hand.

“Listen,� he said quietly. “She's still at it ...�

They all heard it. Harp music.

“I don't know whether she's just passing the time,� Haledhel said, “or whether she's trying to make sure that her companion will be able to find his way back. It might be a wise move, if he's really one of theirs.�

They could find the camp by the sound of music alone now, and Haledhel took a turn with the deer to allow Rameldir to lead the rest of the way. Soon they arrived at a small clearing. On a wind-fallen tree two Elf-women were sitting, one of them was playing her harp, the other one listening. Close to the root of the tree, on a rock covered in moss, an Elf was sitting, rapt with the music. Another Elf stood next to him, absentmindedly kicking at some branches in an unlit fire with his foot while also looking at the harp player.

Now there was a vaguely familiar face. Where had Rameldir seen him before? Not recently. Possibly at Lindon – or even further back? It was such a vague memory - could it possibly be because he had been quite young then? No matter, it would be possible to work it out later. He had other responsibilities first.

“Elen sÃ*la lúmenn’ omentielvo,â€� Rameldir greeted them. The woman stopped playing, and they all turned their heads to stare at him.

“I am Rameldir, son of Erufailon,� he went on, “formerly Captain of the archers of Gil-galad's army, High King of the Noldor, currently Captain of the archers of Elrond's army, Lord of Rivendell.
“What is your business here? If you are looking for Rivendell, we'll be happy to show you the way. If not, Lord Elrond will still wish to meet you and to learn on what business you are travelling.�

[Willow Oran]

Meanwhile, Glorfindel was beginning to wonder if he and Caranlas might manage to find their missing elf only to have lost themselves. That would be embarrassing. They’d had a promising start – cutting across the false path to find the ravine marked by the beryl with little trouble. But the ravine was proving more muddled terrain than the scouts had realized. Not their fault. They couldn’t have known without following it this far themselves.

By Glorfindel’s judgment, he and Caranlas were about a mile in. The ravine walls, which had began at ankle height, now rose to twice Glorfindel’s height above his head, the edges so overhung with ferns that the sky may well have turned green. Side by side, the two elves now examined the way in front of them.

“I think we’re going to have to climb out and over again, Captain,� Caralas sighed, eyeing the narrow cut that was the continued ravine. “Is there even any sign that he came this way?�

Pointing out the handholds dug out from beneath tangled roots, Glorfindel nodded, “Somebody did, and we’ve no reason to think anyone else is currently wandering out here. Come on, and let’s hope he’s found a dead end to get stuck in nearby…�

“Or that he’s decided just to stay put for a bit,� Caranlas agreed. Following the holds indicated, he began to pull himself up the ravine wall, adding, “We’ll be finding our way back in the dark as it is.�

“It’s a clear sky,� Glorfindel said, “We’ll see well enough by starlight.� Waiting until Caranlas had reached the top before starting to climb himself, Glorfindel went up fast and lightly, unwilling to trust his weight to a face that was more soil than stone. Atop the ravine wall they stood in a field of moss and heather, and saw that while the stars were indeed beginning to show, Anar still lit half the sky in shades of soft flame. A lovely landscape, but without any sign of the elf they had hoped to find.

Scowling, Caranlas threw his hands in the air, “We’ve as much chance finding our mystery elf and he has of finding Imladris from here! What do you suggest, Captain?�

“If only he knew we were looking for him…� Glorfindel mused, tapping his chin, “Huh! It’s silly, but I’ll try it. Go off a little ways and see you hear a response.�

“To what?� Caranlas asked, obeying the order as he did.
“To the ridiculous excuse for a ditty I’m about to sing,� Glorfindel replied absently, concentrating on finding a rhyme that wasn’t too atrocious, “And try not to laugh.�

Caranlas just shook his head and smirked. No promises. Singing out to locate lost elves was tried, true, and invariably silly.

Glorfindel took a deep breath, then began to sing as loudly as he could,

“O! Traveler we’re pondering
Where could you be wandering?
The stars are soon shining,
Your friends will be dining!
Sing Tra-la-la-lally
As guests of the Valley!
Ha ha!

“O! Shout if you hear us
And know need not fear us!
Those who listen and hark
Need not wander the dark!
Sing Tra-la-la-lally!
Come down to the Valley!
In June,
Ha ha!�

Grimacing at the fading strains of his final ‘ha ha!’ Glorfindel listened, and looked towards Caranlas to see if he had heard any reply. Nothing… nothing… but then came a muffled shout from a little ways down the meadow.

“Finally!� Caranlas crowed, “Looks like your rhymes were worth the trouble!�

Glorfindel huffed, and shook his head, leading the way towards their probable quarry. Sure enough, they were soon peering down into yet another hidden ravine, and there was their lone elf peering right back up at them. “Well met, friend!� Glorfindel called down, “Need a hand?�

[Earniel]

The Elves were quite astonished that it was not Halweg returning from scouting, but strangers that suddenly entered their make-shift camp and addressed them. Alariel nearly played a false note, but with the grace of an experienced musician managed to cover it up fairly well, so that not even Hallindel noticed it.

“Did you hear that, Alariel? Rivendell! We’ve found them!� Hallindel said happily, clapping her hands in delight.
“We found them?� Alariel repeated with a giggle. “Say rather they have found us!�

“Mae govannen,� Tyaron replied more formally, giving Hallindel and Alariel a disapproving look for forgetting their manners. Having spent months in the wild was no excuse to misbehave when meeting nobles from Rivendell.

“We are most glad to meet you, Captain Rameldir�, he said with a short respectful bow. “I am Tyaron, a former captain of the Gondolindrim army. This is my brother in arms Alagos and his sister Alariel. Our travelling companion is Hallindel, daughter of Heledal. Her brother Halweg has gone ahead to scout the path. Once we would have said we hailed from the noble Houses of Gondolin but as we are house-less since its fall we now can only say we have travelled from fair Mithlond near the sea, our home in exile.�

“We indeed seek Rivendell, although it has eluded us for some time now�, Alariel continued. “Peacetime has awoken a yearning for travel in us five and we wish to see other Elven settlements so we may perhaps meet old kin and new friends alike while peace has made the roads and travellers safe.�

“We bring with us a gift from Lord Cirdan the Shipwright for Lord Elrond,� Hallindel was quick to add. She felt somewhat intimidated by the splendour of the Rivendell Elves and suddenly feared they would turn her company away now that they had announced themselves as mere tourists. She wanted to make sure captain Rameldir had a reason to let them stay. So close to Rivendell the Secretive, Hallindel was desperate for a longer taste of its sights and songs.

“In short, we would be most grateful if you could lead us hither,� Alagos said at last, feeling he too aught to say something, if only because it felt good to address somebody else besides his four travelling companions after so long. And passing-by mice did not quite excell in long conversations.

[Willow Oran]

Halweg still hadn’t found anything remotely resembling Rivendell. That would have started to look less like a problem to him by now, if it hadn’t been for Hallindel. His little sister would make it his problem again. If he turned back now and hadn’t spent enough time scouting the faint path to her liking, Hallindel would insist on walking the trail herself in the morning. He knew she would. At times she could be the wrong kind of thorough.

So if he’d tell her he had stopped at the start of the ravine, she would have insisted Rivendell probably lay just beyond. If he turned back at the earthen wall, well then, Rivendell couldn’t have been far after that!

And then they would spend the whole following day trying to get the pack-horse across the more challenging parts of the trail, only to do the very same thing in the opposite direction before the next evening arrived.

This was the lesser of two evils, it really was.

But as evening was approaching, there was only so much lesser evil Halweg could stand. The last thing he’d need now was to get lost. And in this maze of ravines, gullies and wildlife tracks, one could get very seriously lost.

So when Glorfindel’s song reached Halweg’s ears, it was about the most beautiful song he had ever heard, lyrics notwithstanding. Not trusting his own poetic powers, he opted for a simple shout in reply instead.

“Hail sight for sore eyes! Well met indeed.� Halweg called up to the two heads appearing above him. “A hand would be most welcome, although I might require two. For I take it –and hope- that this poor excuse of a path does not lead to Rivendell?�

The fellow was deep enough in the new ravine that it did take both Glorfindel and Caranlas to get him out, and there were several tense moments when they nearly slipped down themselves. Yet eventually all three elves stood level with each other in the meadow, dusting heather from their tunics.

“I am afraid,� Glorfindel said, pulling a bit of moss from his hair, “that this cannot accurately be called a path at all. Not now that we’ve had to climb over several impassable sections of it… fortunately, I expect Caranlas has marked the way back for us.�

Caranlas had marked the way back, and was already beckoning them over to the first of the small ravines to be traversed. Glorfindel sighed, “I’m half tempted just to walk along the top of these and hope it led to the same place, but I suspect it wouldn’t. You first, my friend, keep between us and we’ll see you don’t get lost again.�

The newcomer obliged, and, spotting his progress downwards, Glorfindel got his first good look at the elf. Well now. Perhaps just coincidence, perhaps Glorfindel was just getting tired, but something in the back of his mind clicked. He’d met this elf before, though the circumstance eluded him. Hopefully it had been a brief enough acquaintance that lack of recognition wouldn’t offend.

When Glorfindel had followed them down he turned to the not-stranger, “As we walk, tell us your name and purpose. I feel I ought to know you, but I fear I need to be reminded.�
But the younger elf was shaking his head, saying, “If you feel you know me, lord, it can only mean you recognise the father in the son. For I was but a child when Gondolin fell and have little memory of it, but Heledal of the House of the Harp would have been known to you in another area and life time. My name is Halweg, son of Heledal. I have four other travel companions -one of whom is my sister, Hallindel- waiting for me some miles to the west.�

Halweg paused a moment to look to the darkening sky to get his bearings. He gave up.

“At least, I assume it was west,� he went on with a shrug. “The many turns and twists of this maze would make anyone lose track. But before we became caught in this myriad of tracks and paths we travelled from Mithlond and came here seeking Rivendell.�

“Closer to south,� Glorfindel corrected him, “the path turned you northwards a little ways in.�

As to the introduction, Glorfindel did not answer right away, being occupied with climbing down. Heledal… the name did ring familiar. He had been a long-time acquaintance, though not a close one. Even meeting his son, Glorfindel was puzzled by the sudden recollection – until his mind caught up to the words and attached the name to the House whose men had brought themselves under his command during those last days. So Heledal must have been present in those memories.

As the three elves backtracked along the path, Glorfindel decided it was best to keep that association to himself, saying only, “I do remember him. It’s good to see his children still here and well.�

“It is good to be here and well,� Halweg said with a smile. “Neither would have been possible without you, my lord.�

Halweg realized it wasn’t mere luck that had brought Lord Glorfindel and Caranlas on his path in this labyrinth of dead ends. Clearly he had passed some secret guard point that had brought him in their sight. It must have been well hidden indeed for him not to notice it while he had just spent the entire day looking for such places, or anything else that would give him an indication where Rivendell lay. But it certainly was charitable they had come to meet him instead of letting him get lost any further. He knew well enough he might not have been so lucky in war-time. Rivendell well earned its reputation.

But he was less certain about what sort of reception it would give them. It had not escaped him that despite having mentioning Rivendell himself twice now, neither of his rescuers had -by words or deeds- indicated they knew which place he sought. Rivendell seemed even farther away yet.
As feared, it did take longer to return than it had to stray so far afield in the first place, and the stars were bright in the sky by the time the three elves finally exited the ravine.

“Well,� Glorfindel said, picking a stray bit of heather from his hair, “That’s one trail to avoid in the future. Assuming Rameldir found your party sooner than we found you, I doubt he will have waited on us, but we did promise to meet them at the Old Pine. It’s just a little further now.� He would say nothing more to reassure Halweg, though he could sense that the lack of confirmed destination was making the younger elf wary. Glorfindel hoped he would trust them just a little longer. These were the wilds still, and he was not about to announce where they were going for all the night to hear.

The Old Pine was a massive, wind-shaped tree, gnarled at the roots and twisting into the sky, standing apart from younger groves. Nearby the valley entrance without being so close as to give it away, it was one of Glorfindel’s favorite meeting points outside Imladris. As they approached, Caranlas stopped them, whistling a low, long note. Silently approving, Glorfindel listened as it was answered, and Caranlas led them forward to duck beneath the heavy branches.

Haledhel was waiting for them along with two elves of the night watch. “We were just about to go in search of you,� he explained, relief evident. “Rameldir returned with the other guests a little before sundown. Thóndir’s gone in as well to report that you weren’t back yet when the guards changed.�

“We found a maze in that ravine,� Caranlas said, “It’s been quiet while you waited?�

The elves on the night watch, which had been patrolling as usual while Haledhel waited, agreed that that yes, the night had been normal thus far. Nothing worrisome spotted. Satisfied that they were in the clear, Caranlas, though technically now off-duty, led, allowing Glorfindel to stay by Halweg while Haledhel watched their backs.

Fifty paces to the southwest, Caranlas suddenly dropped out of sight. Glorfindel flashed a quick smile at Halweg’s surprised exclamation, but motioned for him to hush, saying only, “Watch your step,� before stepping into the unseen crevice, turning a corner, and pulling their guest through the curtain of ivy to stand at the top of the steep switchback leading into Imladris.

[Earniel]

Halweg could not resist looking back at the ingenious contructed concealment of the path they now followed. He did not have long to look before Glorfindel pulled him along gently, to make room for Haledhel who brought up the rear.

"Astonishing," Halweg whispered, and remembering Glorfindel's command to hush, said no more.

But he looked around in amazement. It had never occured to him to use the contours of the land and well-chosen plants to hide entrances and guard post. He had been looking for artifical constructions that, however well hidden, his elven sight would have picked up. No wonder he had not found any indicators of paths, or the guard post he must have undoubtedly have passed. Rivendell was not merely a natural hide-out, the Elves of Elrond had made it into one.

None of his guide had made any mention of Rivendell so far, but now there could be little doubt where they were leading him. They would not have allowed him to see the hidden entrance if Rivendell was to be barred to him and his companions. His weariness and annoyance at having to travel the horrible maze of paths that surrounded Rivendell dropped away and were replaced by a sense of anticipation.

He would get his look of Rivendell soon.

[Earniel]

Gondolin, Rameldir thought. That would explain it. Tyaron - he had never spoken to him, possibly not even heard his name, he didn't recognize it. But he had seen him in the city, as one of the adults. The little boy who Rameldir had been then, had seen lots of adults around, and most of them he wouldn't know.

"Lord Elrond will surely appreciate gifts from Lord Cirdan," he said. "Let's break up, and be on our way - it's getting late, and it's better to get there before dark. And don't worry about your other companion - some of our guards are out looking for him, so you can expect to be reunited later in the day."

The others cleared the camp, and soon they were on their way.

When they reached the Old Pine Tree, Rameldir stopped.

"We were going to use this as our meeting point," he explained, "but I don't think it's a good idea to wait here now. Haledhel, I would like you to stay here to tell the others that we have gone on. Or leave the task to one of the night guards, if they come first. I want to make most of what remains of the daylight."

He took them on the easiest paths he knew, but in some areas there were no easy paths at all. Once he had to cast a questioning glance in Ainon's direction - were they to take the right or the left fork of this path? He could remember an embarrassing occasion where a wrong choice had got him utterly lost, and Glorfindel had found him - but he wasn't even sure whether it was this fork that he had got wrong.

Ainon gave a small, discrete nod in the right direction, and soon Rameldir knew his whereabouts again.

It was interesting to see the reaction of the new Elves to suddenly emerging from the last curtain of ivy and seeing Rivendell down below.

Alariel was the first at edge, beating Hallindel by only a margin. The sight below left her uncharacterically speechless. Hallindel, appearing by her side, soon understood why.

Alagos and Tyaron joined them quickly enough to finally lay eyes on the valley that had eluded them for so long. But -mindful of the company they were in- not so swiftly to betray any unbecoming eagerness on their part.

Before them a narrow valley unfolded. To underscore the moment, the setting sun made a last-ditch effort and showered the valley with a deep red-golden light which caught on the houses' wooden rooftops and appeared to set them ablaze, while clothing the walls with elongated shadows, reaching towards the spectators.

An image came to Hallindel’s mind, one she hadn’t dared to remember for many, many years. She remembered the valley of Tumladen stretching out below her in a similar fashion. A sight she had but only once seen in its entirety from above; and that had been on its last day. A tear-blurred vision while rushing away over unknown mountain paths, running from all she had ever known, into the wild and uncertain places. While behind the long line of fugitives the city still glowed brightly in its final hours under the mid-day sun, from that viewpoint only marred with a pillar of thick, dark smoke where once the white Tower of the King had stood proudly.

“Beautiful was the City of Song and Rock,� Hallindel whispered breathlessly to herself, recalling Tom Bombadil’s words during their visit at the little cottage near the Downs. “Dazzling were its lights and splendour, casting its shadow far into time, so that millennia later, its children still sing of Gondolin, both in joy and sorrow.�

And yet the two places, the one before her mind’s eye and the one below her feet, could not be any more different. For she had seen Gondolin’s full glory only in its dying moments but the valley below her was like an empty page to a saga yet unwritten. It was as if instead of the sun, the future was casting a long shadow back in time towards her, showing her a shape of a place she knew did not exist yet. But would be.

“Oh,� Alariel said. Her voice thick with emotion. “People will sing of this place.�

And Hallindel knew, with a frighteningly unwavering certainty, they would.

[Varnafindë]

Rivendell didn't have guests very often - especially not an unannounced visiting party. Sometimes new settlers arrived, less frequently now that the times were a little more peaceful - and occasionally there would be a delegation from Lindon, preceded by letters. Rameldir trusted that the cook and the housekeeper would be able to handle it, though. They were good at improvising.

He noticed with a smug satisfaction that his guests were staring around them, not so much at the less than impressive buildings as at the valley itself and how the hamlet fitted into it. The place was very different from Gondolin - but perhaps it would be worthy of a song some time. When Elrond had realized all his wild ideas. Or perhaps not the wildest, not when Glorfindel was adding his experience.

Finally he stopped and turned to his guests.

"My men here will take you to somewhere where you can rest," he told them. "If you need some light refreshments, the housekeeper can provide something - the full dinner is later in the evening. I'll go now and tell Lord Elrond that you are here."

He found Elrond in his study, poring over his drawings (which still resembled boxes, as far as Rameldir could tell). Elrond raised his head when he came in, but Rameldir answered him before he could ask.

"No, Glorfindel isn't with me," he said, "I have sent him on a mission. And you won't have time for more architecture tonight anyway. We have visitors."

Rameldir hid a chuckle at Elrond's raised eyebrows, and went on, "Five Elves have travelled from Mithlond to see us. They hail from Gondolin, way back in my childhood, and they want to see other Elven settlements - and before you say that this sounds familiar, I'll say that I agree. They say that they bring a gift from Lord Cirdan for you. I have only met four of them, because the fifth has lost his way and is wandering around on his own, looking for Rivendell. Glorfindel's mission - with one of our guards - is to find him."

[Earniel]

The four Elves were led to one of the smaller houses of the Rivendell settlement. This time it were Hallindel and Alariel who were lagging behind as they tried to take in a much of their surroundings as the advancing twilight allowed.

The house itself obviously had stood empty for some months but was otherwise still fully furnished. Their surprise visit had caught the Rivendell Elves something off guard, but not unprepared. With the promise of some fresh linen and bedding for the fifth traveller being brought soon and that someone would fetch them for dinner later, Rameldir’s men left them to unpack.

Their undemanding packhorse had the reign of a small paddock behind the house. It had little interest in its new surrounding vistas but instead lost no time in inspecting whether this hidden valley grass was up to its high standards.

Out of habit Tyaron and Alagos’ first action was to check out their guest house and take note of the exits. The house had but two rooms: a high entrance hall with a half-open loft containing two beds, and a narrow room at the back with another two beds and a window.

Hallindel and Alariel quickly commandeered the latter where they spent very little time unpacking and much more time looking out of the window. This left their companions to take possession of the loft and decide among themselves who would get the beds and who would have to sleep on the floor. Halweg, by not being present, lost out.

The lost Elf eventually arrived just in time to receive the promised bedding. His companions soon regaled him to all the things he had missed while he had been trying to find the entrance to Rivendell on his own. Halweg just smiled and listened.

“Oh come on, you tease,” Hallindel said after a while when that knowing smile was starting to annoy her into asking, just as it was meant to. “Wat aren’t you telling us? You’re being awefully quiet about what your little solo-adventure but I know that smile.”

“I haven’t been awefully quiet on purpose, dear sister, but only because your babbling hasn’t allowed me to get a word in edgewise and-“

“Babbling!” Hallindel yelled indignantly and she did a mock-lunge at him. “I’ll have you babbling in a minute, big brother, or I will tickle you until you do!”

“Since that would be severly undignified for the both of us, I must decline your kind offer.” Halweg said, still smiling and ducking under her arm. “However, if I could get some sweet sibling silence, I would be more than happy to tell how that little trek you’ve sent me onto ended.”

“I’ve sent you?! Why you-“ Hallindel’s protest was cut short as Alagos good-naturedly put his hand over her mouth.

“Let’s save the sibling banter until after my curiosity has been sated,” he said. “Come now, Halweg, if there’s any tale to tell, now would be a good ti- ouch!”

Hallindel had bitten his hand.

But instead of saying anything further, she folded her arms and sat down in one of the chairs while giving her brother a pointed look. She stuck out her tongue to Alagos who had trouble containing his laughter.

“I almost had her properly warmed-up, Alagos,” Halweg complained. “You take all the fun out of it but very well…”

Halweg told him of how he had gotten a true taste of the wandering hill paths that protected Rivendell and of his meeting with Glorfindel that –just as he had expected- certainly got his companions’ attention. They were still talking about this illustrious Elf when someone came to fetch them to dinner.

[Varnafindë]

Ainon had noticed the interested glances that the new elves had cast around them when they were led through Rivendell - at the construction of the place, how the little hamlet was fitted into the valley, mostly. The temporary buildings themselves wouldn't be very impressive to people who had seen - nay, lived in - Gondolin in all its glory. But he was pleased that they could see the potential of Rivendell. He had chosen it for his home, now that he had been given the choice. He agreed that it would be worthy of singing - eventually.

For now, there were only the not-so-imposing buildings to present to his guests. But they seemed to have settled well into the small guest house already, when he came to fetch them to dinner.

Dinner was served in the largest of their houses - one of the otherwise abandoned longhouses, the only one with something remotely resembling a great hall. As usual there was a long row of tables along the middle of the hall, where the food was laid out. At a right angle from this row, on both sides, the tables for seating were placed. Only Lord Elrond had a table that would be his own, the one the furthest away from the entrance. Lord Rameldir, Lord Glorfindel and a few other of the captains also had their seats at Lord Elrond's table.

Otherwise people sat where there was room. But people's habits tended to emerge after a while, and most tended to favor one particular table if there was room at it - and it had worked itself out into a sort of routine who would prefer to come early and who would prefer to stay a little longer with whatever they were busy with, and go later for dinner. If too many came at the same time, so that there were not enough free tables, it was common to take the food outside and sit somewhere comfortable - or to go away and come back half an hour later.

Once, when their guests had been an important delegation from Lindon and even the High King was present, they had replaced the row of tables with more tables for seating, and the kitchen staff served food at the tables. For such a grand feast, they had managed to have everybody seated at the same time - with an effort.

Kemmótar waited for him and for their new guests at the table he had secured for them, not too far from Lord Elrond's table. Ainon told the new elves that Kemmótar and himself would be their hosts for the meal. "We'll tell you a little about how this place is organized," he said, "and we're interested in hearing about your journey, too. And Lord Rameldir asked me to tell you that Lord Elrond will receive you in his rooms after dinner. Now, help yourselves!"