The group talked for a few hours in Ilmarë and Eonwë's sitting room. Eonwë wanted to hear the tale of the reclamation of the Silmaril first hand, despite the fact that it was clear from his incessant questions that he had watched the whole thing quite intently and knew a great deal about the quest. He was about to question them on the Arnor affair when Ilmarë rescued the elves by asking Eonwë to go check on the dinner she had asked the chefs at the inn to make for the guests.
"We are to eat here?" Miril asked excitedly.
"You, Elladan, and Elrohir." Ilmarë nodded with a smile. She was enjoying their company, as she rarely had guests who did not want some political favor. In addition, she sensed great potential in this young heir of Feanor and the sons of Elrond.
Soon the food arrived, and Eonwë with it. Those elves not invited to dinner paid their respects and left for the inn.
"That went remarkably well." Said Fingon quietly, as soon as they had left the house. "Tickets to a new play /and/ the classic!"
"Is that why you came?" asked Glorfindel incredulously.
"One should never pass up a chance to spend time with Lady Ilmarë,” Fingon said. "She is very generous, and a great patron of the arts."
"Surely the great Fingon, Prince of The Noldor, can get tickets to a play?" Carmegil asked.
"Tickets yes, but not like Ilmarë's. I suspect we will be in her box. There is no better view at The Inkling."
"Or perhaps the little ones will be in her box and you will be in a corner, the reward for asking Her Grace for tickets," Carmegil winked with a wry smile.
"Ilmarë wouldn't do that" Fingon objected instantly, sounding a little concerned. "She wouldn't do that..."
Back in Eonwë's house Ilmarë led the three remaining elves into her dining room. Eonwë soon joined them. The table was furnished with chairs to comfortably seat seven on either side and one at each end.
“Fourteen, for the Valar," commented Elrohir. Elladan and Miril caught their breath at the thought.
Eonwë sat at the head of the table, with Ilmarë at his right hand. Miril sat at to his left, with Elrohir beside her. Elladan tried to sit beside his brother, but Ilmarë insisted he sit beside her. The three elves were surprised to find that Ilmare had ordered them dishes tailored to their tastes.
"We have forgotten wine!" said Eonwë leaping up.
"Get something good, our guests have never had good wine," said Ilmarë.
"The wine in the inn is amazing," Miril assured her.
Ilmare smiled sweetly. "As I said, you have never had truly great wine."
Eonwe soon returned with a bottle. "I won this from Tulkas a few years ago. It is older than our guests."
Eonwë poured the wine in the most beautiful wine glasses they had ever seen. They looked to be carved of clear crystal, and were inlaid with many gems. Miril had lived in luxury in Minas Tirith for many years, but the king's palace paled in comparison to Ilmarë's abode. A single wine glass was probably worth more than all of Aragorn's good dishes put together.
They spoke of many things over dinner. Ilmarë tried to learn all she could of their interests and desires. She was gifted with only a little foresight, but what clairvoyance she had told her these three would be important to her future in some way.
After Ilmarë heard the tale of Miril and Elrohir's history, Elrohir worked up the courage to ask a question of his own. "Might we ask how you first met?"
Ilmarë did not seem eager to tell the tale, and turned to Eonwë. Elrohir worried he had asked the wrong question, but Eonwë gave them a short account.
"As you may know, I was not always as I am now," he began. "I was in the beginning a student of Melkor, who you know as Morgoth. I led the armies of darkness, and what you call the Balrogs in particular. During a seemingly unimportant battle for nothing more than a hill, my company came upon no defenders, only Ilmarë and a number of Maiar with no desire to fight. She surrendered and asked only that we let her and her people leave unharmed. I accepted, saying only it was a pity there would be no battle that day."
Ilmarë took her husband's hand. He clearly did not want to recall his distant past, but he continued the tale.
"There was among my company, which was composed of the deadliest servants of Melkor, one named Gothmog. He declared that he would accept no surrender, and would kill every servant of the Valar he could. I was furious at his insubordination, and Ilmarë was cunning. She asked which of us spoke for our unit. Unfortunately it became clear that most of the Balrogs sided with Gothmog, and he told me to leave quickly if I wished no part in the slaughter. Ilmarë begged me to save her and her people.
“I saw no difference between slaughtering them myself and walking away and letting Gothmog and his friends do it. I also realized Melkor would side with Gothmog over me. I drew my mace and sword and said that I was glad there would be a battle after all.
“I was prepared to stand one against fifty, but there were a number of soldiers loyal to me who came to my defense. We were still outnumbered four to one but we won the day. Few among Gothmog's men were willing to face me in battle for nothing more than a chance to slaughter a few innocents, and Gothmog himself I quickly defeated. He is far more cruel than clever, and spends too much time celebrating and not enough time practicing."
Eonwë finished his tale and saw that his guests looked shocked.
"I see that tale was not in the history books of Rivendell," he said with a laugh. "Do not worry, it is a dark tale, but it is good to hear. Do not think that all those who serve the darkness will never see the light."
Míril and Elrohir exchanged a look. Could this apply to their daughter?
Elladan dared ask the next question as his friends remained quiet. "How did you come to know Glorfindel?"
Eonwë responded with a smile. "He served in the Eagle Guard during the great war. Eventually he was promoted into my most elite unit. By the end of the war I relied upon him as much as any elf. He is clever, clear headed, and a natural leader."
"And he says he wasn't a hero," said Miril laughing. "All he'll say is 'I served in the company of heroes.''
"And so also says every man who has ever served with him," said Eonwë.
Ilmarë shook her head with a smile. "What do each of you wish to do in Valinor?”
Elladan considered this carefully. He thought about all the possibilities at hand, all the jobs he could look into. But only one was tempting him.
“I wish to hunt with Lord Oromë if he would allow it,” Elladan responded.
Eonwë nodded approvingly. “A worthy pursuit. I am sure he would welcome it.”
"I think I wish to serve the court of King Finarfin," said Elrohir.
"I am sure he will be glad to have you," said Ilmarë, pleased with this decision.
Míril was quiet. "I don't suppose there is any room in your guard for new soldiers?”
"The guard is always open to new members," said the Captain. "But you have a lot to learn before you are ready."
"I'll need a teacher.” Miril nodded.
Eonwë smirked. "I have a few ideas.”
After dinner Ilmarë had one final treat for her guests. She led them upstairs and onto a balcony on the back of her house.
It was very dark but Tirion was clearly visible in the valley below. Thousands of small fires - lamps along every road and candles in many windows - showed the city as an intricate web of light.
"The eagles are lucky," said Miril. "The world looks so beautiful from up here."
Elrohir leaned in and whispered to her. “Almost as beautiful as you are.”
Laughing lightly, Elladan took a sip of wine as he stood beside his twin. He watched Tirion below and agreed with his sister-in-law’s assertion that Tirion was beyond beautiful.