Eve and Káno left the next morning, the sunlight shining bright and clear through the windows of Findekáno's house. But Nelyo stayed behind, having breakfast with his best friend. Halfway through their meal of biscuits and jam, the door opened and in walked Turvo in his riding clothes, holding a bag of groceries.
"Nelyo," He said in half surprise. "Why are you here?"
Nelyo chuckled. "I am so glad you got here when you did! Now we can get down to business."
Findekáno's face went bright red and he choked on his food. He knew where this was going, and he didn't like it one bit. As he tried to stand to do something else, Nelyo jolted up grabbed him, forcing him to sit back down. Throughout the entire scene, Turvo just stared.
"Turvo, when is the last time Finno fancied a maiden?" Nelyo began, his gaze never leaving the elf in the question. "I remember two."
Turvo chuckled, understanding where Nelyo hoped to go. He sat down next to his brother and leaned back in his chair. "Thirty or forty years at least. Why, who has won my brother's heart?" He knew the answer of course, but wanted to hear it from Finno.
"Forty years!" Nelyo snickered. "Such a long time. Why is that?"
"I do not enjoy being picked on by the two tallest people I know," Findekáno objected, glaring at his brother in blood and brother in friendship. "It is not polite to bully."
"It is not bullying, we are helping you admit the truth!" Turvo glanced at Nelyo. "Is that not correct?"
"Quite correct," the redhead nodded.
Findekáno turned from Nelyo, who he knew he could not win over, and looked at his brother. "Turvo, have I not always supported you and Elenwë?" As Turukáno went to object, he held up a hand to stop him and continued. "I may make a joke here and there but it is always in jest!"
"That is what we are doing now," Nelyo piped up. "Making comments in jest!"
Finno's face told of just how much he didn't believe his cousin. But he sighed and knew they were not going to quit. So he gave them what they wanted. "And if I do like her in that manner?"
"Oh, I just wanted to hear you say that, after all this time teasing your cousin and brother for their courtships. The fact that you have fallen victim to it as well makes me laugh," Nelyo replied, taking a sip of his water.
Turvo rolled his eyes. "One does not fall victim to love, Nelyo."
The redhead shrugged, rolling his eyes, and stood from the table. He told them he had to be going and left the house quickly. Down the street he went, thoroughly enjoying the warmth of the sunshine on his face and skin. As he entered the lane where his father and mother had their house, two voices came floating down the road from behind him.
"Nelyo!" Pityo shouted with a wave from atop his pony. Telvo echoed him.
A warm smile crept onto Nelyo's face as the twins urged their ponies forward and circled him. It was Pityo, the younger, who jumped down first and tried to tackle his oldest brother at their gate. He hugged Pityo tightly, the boy already above his waist in height. Telvo also dismounted, slamming into Nelyo so hard the two others teetered and almost fell, stepping back a few feet.
"I saw you not but a week ago," Nelyo said with a chuckle. He looked up at Nerdanel and Curvo who now left their own horses' backs. "Did the journey treat you well?"
"Well enough," Nerdanel nodded, embracing her eldest son, her chin resting comfortably below his chin. When she withdrew, she pulled the Ambarussa with her. They ran into the yard to see if any of their other brothers had stayed the night. "Is your father at home?"
"I do not know," Nelyo replied, shaking his head. As Curvo walked past him he rolled his eyes. "Good morning, Curvo!"
The other elf snorted but turned and nodded to him. "Good morning."
Nerdanel smiled and shook her head at her sons. "Is Eve doing well?"
"Eve is, yes," Nelyo replied immediately. He looked around to make sure no one was nearby. "Findekáno fancies her."
Nerdanel laughed. "Truly? It is time he found someone. I am glad to hear this. What of Eve?"
"It is definitely reciprocated." Nelyo gestured towards the house. "She blushes quite a bit. She cannot hide it; she is worse than Moryo in that regard."
Nerdanel shook her head with a soft smile and went inside their house alongside her eldest son. As they stepped inside, they heard a crash.
"That wasn't me!" Eve said frantically from somewhere they couldn't see. "Don't you two blame that on me!"
Nerdanel and Nelyo rushed around a corner to find Eve standing over a broken vase, the Ambarussa facing away from the newcomers, hands on their hips.
"Nerdanel, this wasn't me, I swear!" Eve gasped as she saw them enter.
The woman immediately stood up straighter as her twin boys turned to look at her. They had pleasant smiles on their identical faces, and held their hands behind their backs.
"Hello, mother!" piped up Telvo.
"Do not 'hello mother' me," Nerdanel replied, shaking her head. "Who is at fault here?"
Telvo smiled. "Ambarussa."
Nelyo covered his mouth, and Eve nearly started laughing though she thought better of it upon seeing Nerdanel's face.
"Which Ambarussa?" She turned to Pityo this time. "Which one? Atya or Minya?"
Pityo frowned and lowered his eyes. "Atyarussa. I am sorry, mother. It was an accident."
"I forgive you, and thank you for telling me the truth." She knelt down in front of her son and wiped a tear from his cheek with a soft smile. "This is why I say no running in the house. Do be more careful next time, please."
Pityo nodded. "Yes mother."
Telvo rolled his eyes. "Come, Ambarussa. Tyelko promised to meet us when we reached home. We must get ready!"
Telvo pulled Pityo along and they hurried down a hallway. Nerdanel watched them go with a frown. "Walk!" She turned back to Eve and Nelyo. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "They will be the death of me."
Nelyo shrugged and went to a closet. He pulled out a broom and swept up the shards. "Mother, is Grandfather hosting a feast this year?"
Nerdanel grinned. "Ah! Yes he is. That is what I wanted to tell you all when we returned home. The remembrance feast will be held in a week." She turned to Eve. "We must go dress shopping and find you a new one for the party."
"Another party?" Eve chuckled lightly. "I feel like that's all you do here! Not that I mind."
"You happen to have come during the time of year where we celebrate many things," Nerdanel explained. "The change of seasons, the harvest, and in this case, a remembrance for Lady Míriel." Her face softened. "It is the one time of year that the entire family comes together."
"Oh yeah, the awkward family stuff," Eve said with a nod. Nerdanel and Nelyo both looked at her in surprise, to which she shrugged and looked sheepish. "Finno told me about the split. I sort of forced him to."
Nelyo sighed and stood from his sweeping. He dumped the broken shards into a basket to take out later. Turning back to Eve he frowned. "Káno and I are on relatively even terms with all our half cousins, the Ambarussa as well for they are merely children. Curvo does not hide his disdain for them, and Moryo and Tyelko try to stay away in general."
Nerdanel's frown deepened. "Findekáno and Findaráto remain friendly with all, Findekáno especially. But some of my sons and the others do not."
"Like who?" Eve asked carefully. She frowned. "I feel like I should know so I don't saying anything stupid."
"Angaráto and Aikanáro, and Tyelko, Moryo, and Curvo." Nelyo responded when Nerdanel would not. "Or Turukáno and Curvo."
"But they stay civil when around their grandfather," Nerdanel assured her. "That is the only way anything gets done. King Finwë's love for all brings them together."
Eve smiled. "That sounds nice."
Nerdanel agreed with her immediately. She glanced down and nodded. "Now that this is all clean, I shall take you to the market to shop for a dress for the feast."
Nelyo bid them a quick farewell, heading off to find his own house where he figured Moryo and Káno would be lounging. He left the women in peace. But a few minutes later a knock sounded. A blonde haired elf entered without waiting.
Nerdanel called up to the Ambarussa. "Ambarussa! Tyelko has come for you." She turned back to the elf in question and embraced him. "Thank you for taking them. They have much energy today."
"Of course! Huan will be delighted his two little friends are spending time with us today." Tyelko nodded to Eve as two pairs of feet came bounding through the house and they ran straight past the women and into the garden screaming. Tyelko paused and stared from the door to his mother. "My word, they certainly are eager today."
Nerdanek laughed at her son's expression. "Go on, Eve and I are heading to the market. Keep them at least until dinner."
Tyelko assured his mother they would be well looked after. "Huan is a nursemaid."
"Oh my gosh, Huan is basically Nana from Peter Pan!" Eve squealed in delight, clasping her hands together in excitement. "That's amazing. Oh man."
Nerdanel chuckled and pushed Tyelko out the door in front of them. She carried with her a satchel with coins. "Dear we do not understand what you said, but I assume it to be true."
"Trust me." Eve giggled. "It is."
And so Tyelko took the twins left, and Nerdanel and Eve went right. They walked at a leisurely pace towards the Square and from there, to a row of houses that turned out to be shops. Nerdanel explained where they headed.
"The market is for those merchants who do not have a physical shop," she told Eve, "like the maiden who made that bracelet of yours."
Eve glanced down at the blue, gold, and black woven bracelet. "I also wear this. It reminds me of someone back home." She frowned slightly. "Sophia and I wore matching friendship bracelets. Nothing as crazy elaborate as this, but similar colors."
"What a wonderful memory," Nerdanel assured her. "And those colors are good colors. But here we are. My good friends runs the dress shop here."
They stopped in front of a large shop. The sign read "Dresses of Dreams" in Quenya. They climbed the two steps to the open door and went inside. Eve stood still when she entered. There hung hundreds of dresses of all sizes and colors and materials. Nerdanel walked straight to a back area and started speaking to someone. Eventually both came from around the back to see Eve.
"Eve, this is Cammírië," Nerdanel said. "Cammírië, this is my cousin, Eve."
"Hello, Eve," the woman smiled at her. Her dark hair went in cascading curls down her back and she watched Nerdanel with interest after hearing Eve's name. "Shall we find you a dress then? Nerdanel you are welcome to look around."
The other woman smiled with a nod. "Eve, go with her. I will look here."
Over the next several hours, Cammírië had Eve try on many dresses. In the end, they chose one of lavender fabric and sheer silver sleeves. An intricate design of silver embroidery echoed Eve's natural curves and bodice all across the dress. Once Cammírië finished with her, doing a few on the spot alterations to make it fit perfectly, she turned her attention to Nerdanel. The other red haired woman picked out a white dress with golden flowers all along the skirt, and a golden bodice section.
They spent another half hour looking at hairpieces. Eve's silver floral piece would fit nicely in a braid while Nerdanel chose a golden flower as her accessory. Once all was done and paid for, they took their fitted dresses home. Eve's stomach growled and she realized it was well past lunch, and approaching dinner in fact.
"I am glad that is out of the way." Nerdanel smiled as they entered the gate to their house. "Though I will admit that helping you select a dress brought me joy. Picking out tunics for seven boys over the many years has grown tiring."
Eve chuckled. "Glad to help. It isn't often I get to dress this fancy."
"Well then I am glad to help you," Nerdanel replied with a smile, squeezing the woman's hand. "You have brought a joy to the House of Finwë the likes of which has been absent for many years. That isn't to say we were not happy, but the youthful expressions on the boys' faces warms my heart."
"Maybe that's why I was brought here," Eve half joked as they entered the house. "Maybe. Who knows?"
"I think, perhaps, you are correct." Nerdanel took the dress from her and hung them in a relatively empty side closet. "But you must find happiness also. If anyone gives you that, do not let it slip away."
Eve nodded with a smile. "I'll do my best. I promise."