He was splashing water onto his face and hands in the council room as the evening bells called the community to the evening meal. He brushed back errant strands of hair with damp fingers and stretched tall with arms outthrust. The day had both lasted long and flown by, and he noted the lengthening shadows across the floor of the hall through the open doors. He was glad to note that his shoulder was still slightly stiff, but much improved after last night's treatments. Perhaps Alfirin's touch would complete the cure. He had indicated to Erestor whom to seat beside him tonight, it remained to be seen whether his wishes were met by his sometimes willful steward. Dinner was always a surprise and sometimes a challenge, but always carefully orchestrated by the clever Erestor.
Elrond strolled through the paved courtyard and took the long stairs upwards to the dining hall, joining the flow of inhabitants heading to dine together in community. Cheerful conversations and savory smells drew them all upwards and through the wide doors into the large hall. His first sight was that of Elladan standing on his usual distant corner table with arms waving in some story or other, and Elrond stood with a fixed stare that reached across the hall and settled on the broad shoulders of his son in that magical parental fashion. A guilty look over the shoulder was followed by a quick leap down, and a general settling of the noisy group around the table.
He nodded to Arwen in her seat halfway down the table and took his chair at the head of the table. He was pleased to see that Alfirin took her seat on his left and Thaladorn took a seat on the right. He sent a warm smile and a grateful nod down the table to Erestor as the steward took his seat, a friendly smile acknowledged the thanks for the favor. Alfirin looked particularly fair this evening in a simple pale green gown with embroideries of the same color glinting in the lantern light. Silver threads shot throughout the design flashed as she moved. He nodded to her and greeted her warmly. She inquired about his shoulder and offered further treatments if desired. With great formality he accepted her invitation.
Thaladorn carefully brushed his dark hair away from his face and settled in at the table with a smile to those next to him. Elrond had always had a fondness for gentle Thaladorn, quiet and studious, fair of face and refined of manner, few knew of his true rapier wit and dry sense of humor. Fair Alfirin and dark-haired Thaladorn were pledged in devotion but had not yet wed, content to spend the years together in trust and love until their time came. They had already decided to wed at Rivendell when the time came, with their beloved friend Elrond presiding.
Dinner passed as a tantalizing tease between the three, with double entendres abounding, and some careful massaging of feet under the table. Elrond had not dallied through dinner for some time, and felt a bit racy as he sat at the head of the Master's table with attention for none but those beside him. Diners noted his warm smile and cheerful composure; the Master's mood could often influence life in the community. The race was still subject for conversation, and the guests of honor were evaluated and discussed as well. The savory meal was delightful, and the light wine flowed, with a server finally settling themselves behind the Master for frequent refills. Alfirin thought that no one made wine like the wine makers at Rivendell, and she believed the love and compassion of the community expressed itself though the bubbles and fizz of the wines. Thaladorn toasted them glass for glass, and the rose in his cheeks grew to match the ruby cloak around his shoulders.
As the dinner closed and guests and inhabitants rose to promenade along the corridors or gather on the lawn for dancing and star gazing, Elrond bowed to Alfirin offered her his arm. With a smile she took it and held out her hand for Thaladorn. Elrond led them on the long way around to his staircase and they climbed the internal carved stairs above the library as the musicians struck up the first dance tune for the dancers. The sounds carried faintly to this side of the house, mixed with the sound of the many waterfalls and merry rushing of the river below the Great House.
Alfirin, dutifully, offered aid to the damaged shoulder. She had heard of the race during the day, and fit the rash act into her understanding of the complex Elf standing before her. Thaladorn carried a small portable healer's case with him, and he was unloading small jars onto the desktop as she offered her hands to him as a healer. Elrond took them in his slender hands and bestowed a kiss across the delicate fingers with a smile. "Healer, heal," he responded. She gently slid his heavy outer robe from his shoulders and laid it across the desk nearby. She stopped his fingers from undoing the small silver buttons, and slowly unclasped the loops from the buttons of his tunic. She laid fingers along the delicate embroideries that enhanced the rich fabric with a smile. No craftsmen at any Elven settlement did work like the embroiderers at Rivendell. The lantern light caught silver threads in the designs as he slipped out of the tunic, and she laid it near the outer robe nearby.
Thaladorn held a small jar in his hands warming the contents. Alfirin sat Elrond down on a bench before her, and taking up some of the scented cream, laid firm fingers along his shoulders, feeling for the disruption of energies. She always cringed at first glance of the puckered scar on his shoulder from an ancient injury, Galenbrethil had explained how a sword point had pierced chain mail through enchantment to cause the ragged injury. Even centuries passing had not erased the deep scar. She passed loving fingers over the scar and began to work on the injured shoulder.
How different was her style than Galenbrethil's he thought as he twinged a bit at her touch. She lost no time in locating the damaged muscles and realigned flesh and energies with firm fingers and deep concentration. Elrond wondered what medicine she used, it felt and smelled different than any he was familiar with. He asked Thaladorn for a description before he was shushed by Alfirin.
Thaladorn gave a brief explanation of the contents and properties; it was an old formula from Lorien they had discovered in an archive he said. Elrond could certainly attest to its deep and penetrating qualities as he shifted under Alfirin's firm grasp. Her hands slid down his back and located a tight place he had not noticed before she identified some damage there as well. Thaladorn smiled at his winces and groans, he was well aware of the strength in her fingers..
He rummaged in the case again and pulled out a small pottery bowl in a rosy violet glaze. Elrond smiled at this and reached out a hand to take the bowl. Alfirin sighed and gave him a playful pat on the shoulder, 'I guess we are finished with this session then?" She had actually determined that his energy flow had been realigned to some extent, such as one could tell with his unique and erratic patterns. She leaned over him and slid her hands across his chest in an affectionate hug. "Feeling better then?" He turned and met her lips with sweet kiss of thanks. Thaladorn handed the small bowl over and asked for an opinion by scent. He explained the slight changes in the formula and described the plants substituted.
Elrond held the bowl to his nose and sniffed with concentration. It was familiar, yet subtly different. He dipped a fingertip into the cream for a tiny dab and felt the creaminess between his fingertips. This silken feel was certainly familiar and one of the properties of lanfalas that made it appreciated among lovers. Alfirin smiled and remarked, "All members of this plant family provide that quality." Thaladorn was standing with an intent look on his face, eager for an evaluation of the adjusted concoction. Dipping a fingertip into the cream again, Elrond carefully spread a small amount across his bottom lip, and touched the cream on his finger with the tip of his tongue. This was the formal evaluation of lanfalas, as its properties were quickly felt with this test. The flavor was mild and distinctive, yet again new and different. He had tested lanfalas frequently as a healer and chemist at the court of Gil-galad, the plants grew prevalently there along the beach, and the cream often had to be cut considerably with other ingredients to reduce its addictiveness. After all, one could only take so much pleasure.
He sat back on the bench with his eyes closed and thought that if this formula evoked memories of his life at the Grey Havens, then there must be some hidden ingredient cluing his memory. His lip tingled and the flavor was pleasant, he felt himself relaxing as he rubbed his fingertips together again. As he opened his eyes he saw Alfirin and Thaladorn standing before him like anxious students awaiting an evaluation of their project. He laughed at the intent looks on their faces. Shaking his head he rose from the bench and laid a hand on the shoulder of each.
"My friends,' he said slowly, " I believe you have found a suitable combination that evokes older formulas I have known. The properties are similar, the flavor pleasing, and the effects are not overpowering. In fact the mildness of this formula teases, yet is pleasing." Their growing smiles indicated their pleasure at his words. "You have not tried this then?" he asked. Her guilty nod indicated no, Thaladorn's little smile gave him away. "You used me to test the results then?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "Who better, my lord, than one legendary in the greenhouses for his memory of formulas and knowledge of rare plants?" Alfirin asked. Elrond lifted his finger and touched her lower lip gently, leaving a dab of the rosy cream there.
Elrond moved to blow out the candles near the stairway and returned to take the soft cloak from Thaladorn's shoulders. From behind, his slender fingers loosened the lacings of his tunic, and released the belt that held the garment close. From his position behind the healer, Elrond looked at Alfirin as she touched her lip and smiled. "Healers, I believe that this cream needs intensive testing and evaluation, do you share my thoughts?" Alfirin nodded and turned to Thaladorn to address the long lacing of her dinner gown.
The lanfalas was judged by all to be a suitable alternative to the classical formula, with even less of the lingering after-effects of the stronger versions. More testing of formulas was agreed upon, and distilling and research was assigned to Thaladorn during his tenure at Rivendell.
Lindefal walked though the Master's Chambers early that next morning and noted the violet bowl by the bedside, and the pile of arms and legs every which way under the tussled linens. He carried the breakfast straight down the stairs and on through to the study where he enjoyed himself immensely as he rewrote the day's schedule and helped himself to seconds of everything.
End
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