“Elemmírë lives with her parents still?” Tyelko asked in surprise as they made their way through the streets of Valimar. He followed behind those in front: Elenwë, Turvo, Finno, Eve, and Nelyo. Beside him, Káno seemed uncharacteristically nervous.

Elenwë responded while they walked. “I believe so. Last time I saw her she told me she quote ‘needed more time for writing and less time for chores’.” Elenwë and a couple others snickered at her impersonation. “But in actuality. She spends all her time on her poems.”

They reached a large building, made of white stone like the rest of the elven houses. This had large columns around the front and a covered entryway. Elenwë led them up the numerous small steps until at last they reached the white doors. She knocked.

A smiling golden haired male elf answered the door. His hair was tied back in a long braid and he glanced around the group, ending and beginning at Elenwë. “Hello, Elenwë. How are you? We saw your parents just yesterday. They talked about you!”

“Hello Lord Carmener,” Elenwë replied with a matching smile and a bow. “Do we find you well?”

He nodded. “Quite. What may I help you with? You and your royal friends, as I guess these are.”

Elenwë laughed and turned to the others. “Indeed. These are the sons of Lord Fëanáro and Lord Nolofinwë, along with Elmendë, cousin of Lady Nerdanel.” She paused. “We had hoped to meet your esteemed daughter, Elemmírë. For we heard her reading last night, and Makalaurë here,” she mentioned as she gestured to Káno, “he is renowned in his own right, and I thought it would be good to introduce them.”

“Ah, Makalaurë, the greatest musician in all the land, they say.” Carmener nodded and opened the door wider. “You may all enter, of course. My daughter is in the lowest level, in her study. Let me go ahead and tell her who you are. She does not often appreciate interruptions.”

“Who is they, lord,” Káno asked half out of amusement and half out of genuine surprise.

Carmener rolled his eyes with a laugh and didn’t dignify that question with a response. Instead he left them in the grand foyer as he went down a stairwell into a basement. They heard muffled discussion for a few minutes before at last Carmener came back up and smiled with a nod. He told them to go down the stairs.

Elenwë led them, Káno close behind and the others following after. Huan stayed up stairs in the entryway, but Tyelko came last of the group. When they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned into a massive room, they found the walls covered completely in leather bound books and scrolls of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The floor was composed of large, cream and brown marble tiles which reflected well the lights of torches and candles.

Eve stared in awe more at the ceiling; arched vaults and dozens of skinny columns formed the gothic style of this basement. Dark wooden tables decorated the space with a large cushioned chair at one of them. Directly in front of the group, a massive domed fireplace contributed to the ambience, and to their right on the wall next to them, a fountain with a dancing elven couple protruded from the wall. But the most stunning of all was the woman standing against a column, dressed in a deep blue gown and golden haired.

She eyed them both suspiciously and curiously. Her grey eyes softened when she saw Elenwë. “Hello, darling!” She laughed softly, almost musically. “It has been awhile!”

“Quite awhile,” Elenwë agreed with a chuckle. “Thank you for letting us down here.”

Elemmírë smiled. “Of course, my dear.” She paused and looked at the others critically. “And who are these others?”

“May I present to you the princes of the Noldor: my beloved, Prince Turukáno, and his brother Prince Findekáno, sons of Prince Nolofinwë, and here also are some of the sons of Prince Fëanáro, Princes Nelyafinwë, Kánafinwë, Tyelkormo, and Morifinwë, and the cousin of their mother, Elmendë.” Elenwë gestured to them each in turn.

Elemmírë’s eyes grew slightly larger at each name. But she kept her composure well, and bowed her head only slightly at them. She moved from the small column and walked towards them.

“Prince Kánafinwë I have heard much of, but you’ll have to excuse me if I do not keep close tabs on those not of my own kindred.” She eyed the other princes of the Noldor. “Prince Tyelkormo, I know you to be one of Lord Oromë’s hunters.”

“Indeed.” The blonde prince nodded.

Elenwë continued on, “We all heard you recite your latest piece last night. I wanted to introduce you to Káno here, who as you know is renowned Valinor-over for his musical prowess.”

Káno chuckled. “Thank you, Elenwë.”

“Indeed I do know of your fantastic talent with music,” Elemmírë nodded. She went to continue but he cut her off.

Káno hurriedly spoke. “Your way with words is unparalleled, my lady. Everyone in Valinor knows this to be true.”

She chuckled. “Why thank you, lord.” She stood still for a moment, as if sizing them up. Finally Elemmírë nodded as if to herself. “Very well. You all may stay. Though I fear there isn’t much seating.”

They spent a few hours in that basement, chatting and laughing about different matters, mostly regarding Káno making a fool of himself on various occasions much to his chagrin. Eve stayed relatively quiet. She instead sat upon the floor on a fluffy blanket next to Finno, holding his hand and resting her head on his shoulder. He on the other hand was firmly entrenched in the “let’s embarrass Káno” conversation.

“Well it sounds like you have quite interesting lives as King Finwë’s grandchildren,” Elemmírë joked when their time was coming to a close. “I’m intrigued!”

“Well I am sure if you and Káno do decide to collaborate, you will experience it first hand,” Nelyo added quickly.

Elemmírë smiled. “There are quite a few poems I would be interested in putting to music.” She turned to Káno. “If you would be willing?”

“Of course!” He didn’t even hesitate. “It would be an honor.”

“For me as well,” Elemmírë added.

A bark sounded from the top of the stairs. Tyelko rolled his eyes with a smile on his face and walked over to the bottom. At the top, Huan sat wagging his tail. Tyelko said something that Eve didn’t quite catch, but another bark was returned in answer.

“It is getting late, and Huan wants to leave,” Tyelko said in all seriousness as he returned to the group. “We need to walk back to the inn.”

Elemmírë nodded. “Of course.” She stood from her chair and they all followed her in turn. Up to the first level they went, bidding farewell to her father. As all stood on the front porch, Elemmírë turned to Káno.

“We must meet up soon,” she insisted. “I wrote a poem in honor of the festival of Hísimë in several weeks and thought perhaps we could compose music for it?”

Káno smiled and bowed. “Absolutely. I will let you know when I am available next.”

They all bid farewell to Elemmírë and turned back to the city. Huan bounded ahead, eager to run. Far above them the silver glow of Telperion accentuated the shining stars in the sky. Eve walked hand in hand with Finno. Behind them went Moryo, quietly, alongside his eldest brother. Elenwë and Turvo went before Eve and Findekáno, following only Tyelko and his hound. After an hour or so, they reached the inn.

They all retired to bed except for Turvo and Finno. The brothers sat quietly chatting in the open courtyard inside the inn, reclining on two adjacent couches, a glass of wine for each. Findekáno took a sip of the red wine and then placed the glass on a side table. He turned to his brother.

“How much longer are you going to wait, Turvo?” He spoke quietly, his voice low. “It has been some time since we finished up what you needed.”

Turvo sighed and shrugged in response. “Not long, I do not think. Her kin are visiting Tirion in a few weeks. I thought to do it then.” He took a sip of his glass before speaking again. “Thank you, again, for speaking to Nelyo for me and having him craft the ring.”

Finno laughed softly. “Trust me, he would have said yes had you asked him yourself.”

“Perhaps,” Turvo nodded.

When morning dawned with the glow of Laurelin. They decided to head back to Tirion that morning. Tyelko, however, bid them farewell.

“I am meeting up with the hunters,” he told them as he mounted his horse. “Tell our parents I’ll likely be gone until the feast of Hísimë.”

Moryo nodded and smirked. “Have fun camping in the wilderness with the bugs and animals. You’ll fit right in.”

“You are hilarious, Moryo,” Tyelko deadpanned at his younger brother. “Maybe someday you’ll learn not to rely on a bed like a wuss.”

Nelyo laughed at them and shook his head. “Farewell, Tyelko. Enjoy the forests.”

He nodded and turned his steed down the road opposite the direction the rest were to head. Beside him trotted loyal Huan, a prance in his step that Eve hadn’t seen in a long time. Evidently both master and hound were looking forward to this adventure.

“I am staying here for now,” Elenwë told them also. “I will be in Tirion much sooner than the feast, though. But I have a few things to do in Valimar with my family.”

She kissed Turvo goodbye before heading down the path presumably towards her family’s house. That left the two sons of Nolofinwë, Eve, and the three remaining sons of Fëanáro.

“Anyone else want to leave,” Eve joked as she accepted Finno’s help up onto her white horse.

Káno laughed and shook his head from his horse. “You are stuck with the rest of us, unfortunately.”

“Indeed, how unfortunate to be stuck with Moryo,” Nelyo added, snickering.

“You are funny, Nelyo. How do you fit that sense of humor inside your tiny head,” Moryo bit back.

Finno smirked. “No, you have it all wrong, Moryo. His head is too big, not too small.”

“I’ll have you both know that my head is perfectly shaped, thank you very much.” The redhead urged his horse forward and they began their journey home with laughter, aside from Moryo.

The travel days passed swiftly. The various inns dotted along the route offered welcome rest and delicious food and drink. But all were in high spirits as the city of Tirion came into view. They decided to dismount upon entering the gates of the city after passing through the farm country. Nelyo, Káno, and Moryo went towards their house in Tirion but Eve followed instead Turvo and Finno. But she found they went not to their house in Tirion, but to a completely new part of the city that she not yet seen.

“Where are we going?” she asked curiously, walking between the brothers.

“To our father’s house,” Turvo replied. “You have not been there yet and we thought to show you.”

And so they continued on through the streets until they came upon a garden entrance through to a large house. Finno led the way in first followed by his brother and finally Eve. She looked around. It had more flowers than Fëanáro and Nerdanel had in their yard. But the house looked similar. A bit larger, perhaps. A path led along the side of the house to the back. Turvo took the horses that way while Finno and Eve went up to the door. He knocked.

Lady Anairë answered and behind her stood Lady Eärwen. Eve remembered them from Alqualondë. Finno grinned wide and the women mirrored his reaction.

“Come in, come in,” Anairë stepped aside, but grabbed her eldest son in a massive hug when he entered past her. “Findaráto and Aikanáro are here as well.”

“Turvo’s around back taking care of the horses,” Finno quickly explained.

“Hello, Eve,” Eärwen said quickly, giving her a small hug, followed by Anairë. “What brings you three here?”

Finno suddenly blushed and quieted down uncharacteristically. He had come to tell his parents about Eve, yet suddenly he didn’t have words. But he was let off the hook as a shout came from further inside the massive house.

“Finno!” Findo shouted for him, “Eve!”

Eve and Finno both grinned and moved into the house to find the whole family sitting around in comfortable chairs and couches, with Findo himself sitting on the floor in front of his brother, legs under a coffee table. Around the room sat Nolofinwë and Arafinwë, and now as they all filed into the room, Anairë and Eärwen. The pitter patter of pounding feet echoed through the house as two young girls flew into the sitting room.

“Finno!” cried Iríssë, tackling Findekáno.

Artanis wasn’t far behind but instead she leapt onto the couch and crawled on top of her eldest brother’s shoulders. The backdoor opened then and Turvo came inside, sneaking in behind everyone. But he didn’t escape a hug from his mother who quickly spotted him.

“It is certainly a pleasure to have you all home,” Nolofinwë laughed. “And Eve, it is good to see you again.”

“You as well, sir,” she nodded. She awkwardly stood beside Finno, grabbing his hand as she felt slightly nervous around all these people she didn’t really know.

“Finno and Eve are courting now,” Turvo piped up a moment later. A smug smile adorned his face as both his brother and Eve stared at him in shock.

Findaráto seemed the least surprised, breaking down in laughter at the looks on the others’ faces. He stood, carefully balancing with Artanis still on his shoulders, and hugged his cousin and then Eve. Finno looked slightly put out.

“Congratulations,” Anairë said, beaming from ear to ear. “You do realize this means you must spend more time with us. I should like to get to know you more!”

“Of course. It’s not like I spend every waking moment with Nelyo and Káno.” Eve chuckled and hugged the woman softly. “I’d like to meet you guys more.”

“When Fëanáro allows it,” Nolofinwë reminded them quietly. Nevertheless he smiled at her. “I am glad you have found happiness here, Eve, and found it alongside my son.”

Eve and Finno nodded, picking their way to sit next to Aiko on the couch. Iríssë watched them both with hands on her hips. “I knew this was going to happen.”

Finno laughed hard. He ruffled her neatly done hair. “Did you now?”

“Indeed. At Grandfather’s feast.” She nodded matter-of-factly.

Aiko, whom Eve had met but once, at the Festival of Yavannië, smirked at his cousin and patted him on the back. “Do not turn into Turvo here, or my brother with Eldalótë

Finno scoffed. “Never.”

“I think your brother and Elenwë are adorable,” Eve joked, sending a wink towards the mentioned elf. “But we’ll be even more amazing.”

“I like the sound of that,” replied Finno, turning towards Eve.

For several hours the cousins and uncles talked and laughed and joked. Eve found herself feeling more and more at home among this side of the Finwë line. Within an hour, Iríssë even decided she wanted to sit next to Eve. She found herself incredibly proud of this fact, and grinned from ear to ear when she thought about it. She decided she could get used to this, the bliss of Valinor, the friendships of the house of Finwë and their acquaintances, the beauty of Tirion and Alqualondë and Valimar. She hoped it would last forever.