"It is nearly time to eat," Nelyo said to their small group as they stood by the musicians. "Ah look! They are bringing in the tables."

Findekáno's smile faded. "I hope our grandfather was not the one to pick our seats. He should leave that task to our mothers."

Turvo agreed with him immediately. They watched as thirteen tables were brought into the ballroom by strong workers. The circular tables, crafted of a dark mahogany wood, stood around the hall now. A new group of musicians came in to allow the others a time to eat and rest. The cousins walked towards the front three tables, evidently knowing exactly what to do. Eve followed curiously behind them.

When they reached the opposite end, everyone joined them. Curvo and Tyelko stood with the twins near the outside of the gathering while Angaráto and a black haired maiden stood next to Aikanáro holding Artanis. She frowned angrily at her brother, hissing that she wanted to be put down in no uncertain terms. Iríssë rushed over to her eldest brother and grabbed Finno's hand. Eventually Moryo joined them all and Finwë smiled.

"It brings me so much joy to have all of you here." He smiled, standing tall at the front of them. At his right stood Fëanáro and Nerdanel, while to his left stood Indis and her four children. Finwë gestured to the third generation. "We are not often, dare I say never, together as one like this now that most of you are older. As always, we gather to honor the departed today, and thank Ilúvatar that through tragedy came joy." He took Indis' hand. "We stand in solidarity today. And we eat in solidarity," he joked as he gestured to the tables. "Find your seats and enjoy!"

The first and second generations sat down at a round table with a light blue table cloth. Clockwise from the furthest point sat Finwë, Fëanáro, Nerdanel, Eärwen, Arafinwë, Írimë, Findis, Anairë, Nolofinwë, and Indis. They chatted quietly, Fëanáro visibly uncomfortable as his other half siblings spoke to one another. Nerdanel held his hand under the table cloth for a little and would place her hand on his thigh whenever she noticed the agitation growing.

The cousins fared about as well as Fëanáro. According to a whisper from Nelyo, it had definitely been Finwë to set the seating arrangements. Eve sat at the first of two tables for the third generation. Clockwise from the farthest point, the second table went Findaráto, Nelyo, Moryo, Eve, Iríssë, Finno, Eldalótë, Angaráto, and Amarië. The third and final table sat Tyelko, Curvo, Telvo, Pityo, Káno, Turvo, Elenwë, Artanis, and Aikanáro.

Eve sat awkwardly, trying desperately not to shoot pleading stares at Findekáno to rescue her from the palpable discomfort around the table. She ended up glancing his way once everyone was seated, over the head of his little sister. He sent her back a conciliatory smile. And so she turned to Moryo at her right.

"What've you been up to?" She asked him with a small smile.

He shrugged. "I visited our summer house. Stayed for a few days."

"That sounds cool!" Eve twiddled her fingers below the table.

The arrival of their dinner saved all from awkward conversation. It was a delicious meal of salads, prime meats, corn, and other sides that Eve had no name for. She suspected one to be mashed potatoes after a small taste. The room quieted for awhile as all the tables ate in peace. But soon enough small conversation cropped up again, beginning with Findekáno at their table.

"We must make a list of all the places to show Eve," he suggested to the gathered elves between bites. "What do you all suggest?"

"That is a silly question, brother," Iríssë snorted back at him in reply. "She must see all of Valinor."

The table chuckled at her response but she rolled her eyes back at them. Finno nodded to her and agreed. "Yes, but she has many ages to do so. What should our priorities?"

"The Two Trees must be soon," suggested Amarië.

"Of course!" Finno nodded eagerly.

Nelyo joined in. "The mansions of Aulë, I think. His forges are magnificent."

Findekáno turned to Eve. "What would you like to see?"

"Oh," she paused, finishing a bite quickly. "I would like to see the Lady Nienna again. Is that possible?"

"Certainly," Findaráto said eagerly. "That is a far trip, but worth every moment."

They fell quiet for a few more minutes, focusing on their food. Eve did not miss that neither the golden haired Angaráto nor the dark haired Morifinwë bothered to look at the other. Eldalótë chatted with Ango and Amarië, occasionally with Finno too. She and her beloved avoided the sons of Fëanáro like the plague. But Iríssë knocked Eve out of her musings with a single quiet comment.

"You dance well, for a beginner." The little girl told her while the others conversed. "I saw you with my brother."

"Oh?" Eve smiled.

Iríssë smiled back at her with a glint in her eyes. "It is obvious you have feelings for him, as Elenwë does for Turvo."

Eve nearly dropped her fork, caught completely by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"There is no need to admit your feelings to me," the child assured her. "I see them anyways." Iríssë turned away and faced her brother.

When Nelyo turned from his conversation with Findo, he saw Eve's cheeks bright red with embarrassment. He wondered about that, slightly irritated that someone had dared make her embarrassed. That was his job. But when he noticed Fingon blushing slightly, chatting with his little sister quietly, he nearly laughed. Trust Irí to do that to her oldest brother.

Eve tried her best to chat with Moryo and for his part, he engaged with her. He seemed generally put out the entire time, as she had become used to. About half way through their meal, Moryo frowned deeper than usual as he stared from his plate to the plate of butter across the table.

Moryo growled something to himself before speaking up. "Angaráto, pass the butter."

Nelyo and Findo both watched with sudden interest. Eve just took a bite of her nearly gone meal and waited to see what would happen. It intrigued her.

The elf in question paused but gave a half nod at Moryo and began passing the plate of butter around towards his half cousin. When it reached him, Moryo rolled his eyes. "What of the honey."

"You did not ask for the honey," Ango bit back. "Try saying what you mean before you blame me."

Nelyo immediately smacked his brother under the table to keep him from sending a biting remark back. But Moryo narrowed his eyes and Eve could all but see the steam coming from his ears.

Moryo finally responded through gritted teeth. "Eldalótë, pass the honey. Please."

The woman let out an audible sigh and rolled her eyes at the two elves but nodded to Fëanáro's middle son. "Of course, Carnistir."

The table fell back into soft conversation as their plates were cleared. Without food to distract them, the noise level in the banquet hall slowly rose as each table had to work to be heard. The other table of cousins seemed to be faring worse than their own. The sons of Fëanáro at the right table weren't particularly surprised; placing Curvo and Tyelko with Turvo and Aico had not been well thoughtout. Secretly, Nelyo was just glad Finwë had not created a "Children's Table" for the Ambarussa, Iríssë, and Artanis as he had done one year. The Ambarussa had protested quite vocally.

Fifteen minutes later and a great commotion arose at the far side of the hall. Great cheers went up from the gathered patrons and Eve turned in her seat to try to catch a glimpse of whatever happened.

"That would be dessert!" Findekáno said loudly with excitement.

Workers set down large pieces of what Eve assumed to be chocolate cake before every elf gathered. The piece was massive and Eve grinned from ear to ear. Fingon watched her and smiled at her reaction before all dug into their food. Needless to say, no one spoke for quite sometime and only the clinking of silverware against porcelain plates and quiet chewing resounded in the grand feasting hall.

After all had eaten their fill, Finwë gave a short speech of dismissal. Most elves stood from their tables and moved away as workers cleared the hall once more. The orchestra started up again, and many elves walked around chatting. Eve found herself drifting towards the door. She looked up and saw through a shaft cut in the ceiling to see into the sky that night had fallen. As she stared up, she suddenly found Findekáno next to her. She blushed slightly.

"Do you want to go see the sky outside?" He asked her, keeping his tone low so as to not alert his cousins and siblings that meandered around nearby.

Eve hesitated. "Can we? I mean leave the party and all that?"

"Of course," chuckled Findekáno. "I find it hard to believe that they will miss us for a few minutes."

She brightened up and nodded saying, "Alright then."

"Come," he beckoned, making sure no one watched them too closely. They slipped out the doors into the entrance and then from there, out into the Great Square. Finno showed her to the right of the doors inside and down a small walkway to an open area with clear viewing.

The night sky gleamed. Eve found it difficult to tell if the night looked black or silver. It seemed to glimmer with an ambient light that had no correlation to her own Earth. As usual, she found it comforting. The silver embellishments of the dress she wore glinted in the light of Telperion and of Varda's stars.

"I don't think you quite understand how much more fantastic this world is compared to mine," Eve murmured a minute later. She turned to Findekáno and he cocked his head in confusion. She continued. "In my world, Earth, there's death, and terror, and violence everywhere. People die daily. Neighbors kill each other in war." She sighed before flashing him a tiny smile and a shrug. "But here, it's just bliss."

"I do not fully comprehend your tale," Finno admitted. "I have only known this bliss. But as I have said many times, I am glad you are here now."

Eve smiled at him and felt the heat rising to her cheeks. She looked away quickly and scolded herself in the silence. But Findekáno felt equally as unsure and shuffled his feet.

"I'm glad I'm here too." She spoke a moment later, looking up at the sky. "And glad that I've met you, Finno."

It was his turn to blush but Eve didn't see. He decided to show her something.

"You mentioned that Moryo showed you Menelmacar." He gestured to the sky. "Let me show you the others of Varda's crowning jewels." Pointing out a 'W' shaped constellation, he continued. "That is Wilwarin." When she nodded, he turned left and pointed again, and that is Anarríma."

"Where?" She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You can see it with the four bright stars; it is like a crown," he said as he gestured again.

Yet still she didn't understand where he pointed. And so he took her hand in his and outline the shape with her own finger. Eve shuddered ever so slightly at his touch and was sure to not break down like a lovesick puppy. Instead she merely watched the sky and found the constellation he pointed to. As he let go of her hand, he looked at her and she him.

"You know a ton about stars," she joked after a long pause of silence.

Findekáno chuckled and shook his head. "All of us of the Eldar do. Queen Varda made them for us millennia ago."

"Oh, that's kinda interesting." She nodded.

And so they stood there watching the stars above, Findekáno showing her a few well known constellations, and she listening carefully. An hour passed and they realized guests had begun leaving the party. Eve and Findekáno slipped back inside and joined up with Curvo, Moryo, and Tyelko.

"Where have you two been," Tyelko asked in surprise. "Nelyo and Turukáno went looking for you."

Eve laughed at them. "Seriously? They must be bored."

"We all are," Moryo pointed out.