Auros:
A knock at the door brought Auros thither, and as he opened the door and stepped aside, Aldawë entered from the night. The scents of a feast wafted from the kitchen where it was kept warm.
"I had some last-minute preparations to make," Aldawë said, "and of course, I could not come without this!" With a flourish, Aldawë revealed a bottle and handed it to Auros, who inspected the label.
"That's quite a year," Auros said.
"That's the last I have of that vintage. The last of my collection, actually. It should go well with the meal."
Auros looked up at him. "The last?"
"Things have been busy recently. I've given most of it away. This one, I saved for good friends."
Auros nodded. "It will be an honor. Come," Auros said, motioning deeper into the house. "Malril is already here."
The two walked down the halls into Auros' library. It was not a large library, the room having been repurposed, but it served well enough for the Noldo's uses. Tall shelves lined the walls while shorter shelves stood out into the middle of the room, dividing the space but allowing one to see those who would enter. In the far corner was a round table of moderate size. Malril looked up from where he sat, poring over some manuscripts. "Ah!" he exclaimed with a small grin, "the latecomer has arrived!"
Aldawë also grinned, "With a contrite spirit and a gift that will hopefully excuse the tardiness." With a slight bow and a gesture towards the bottle that Auros held up, he added, "The best of my collection."
"The last of his collection," Auros added.
Malril's smile faded, "I see."
"Come now," Aldawë said, making his way to the table and the manuscripts, "What is all this? You are certainly not working on a night of mirth?"
"Auros has set me to the task of deciphering some texts for him." Malril said, putting his finger to the papers.
Auros snorted as he too came to the table. "You make it sound like I've asked you to translate from the tongues of the Naugrim. All I've requested is a second set of eyes to go over some histories."
"Histories of Angmar," Malril added. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the new contingent that came with you from Mirkwood? This aid at least I can provide. The other, I've done what I can, but I am not a captain of the guards. I've asked them to seek out the Silvan Fainan and offer her what information they may about the road northward. I cannot order them to do so."
"That's all that can be expected, but you know as well as I the dangerous times we face."
"If Lord Elrond were concerned, he would forbid them himself."
"Don't pretend you don't share my concern. Some tasks are more important than others. That is not the only reason, however, that I asked you to do what you can to provide that information. I wouldn't have someone rushing off with no idea of what they're heading into."
"You've done it yourself a few times, my friend."
"Then I should know. They've had one encounter already, and reinforcements at least were not far. The next encounter they will not be so fortunate."
"So this information you're having me look into is for them," Malril said.
"After a fashion, yes. I can speak no more of it. It's a task appointed by Lord Elrond, and I don't know yet what I'm dealing with."
"So," Aldawë interjected loudly, "are we going to continue arguing about things we can't discuss openly, or are we going to remember why we're meeting here in the first place? I remember being promised a feast and good company!"
Dropping the discussion after a pause, Malril replied with the beginnings of a smile, "I remember being promised refreshments."
The focus on work was set aside for the time being. Auros added, a grin forming on his face as well, "I remember us needing glasses."
***
Auros, Malril, and Aldawë stood at their gathering rock once more, the morning of Aldawë's departure. He'd brought his horse, intending to depart directly from this last meeting. "I have not been terribly secretive about it, my friends, so I've little doubt you suspected this already." He had already written "numen" next to his name. "I have no inspiring words to offer, only my warmest regards to two neri who have been brothers to me." Malril and Auros remained silent. Aldawë fell silent for a moment as well. "Funny," he finally said, "you'd think with as long as I'd been planning this, it would be easier." Walking over to his horse, he retrieved a bundle and an envelope.
"First Malril, our best scribe and linguist," Aldawë said, returning to the other two and holding out the envelope. "You're almost as stubborn as Auros," he said good-naturedly. "You'll be in Middle-Earth for a little while longer at least, but just to make sure you don't get complacent, I've set a task for you. You'll find your instructions within.... as a riddle written in a mix of 3 different languages. I'll let you figure out which ones." Malril started laughing.
Turning to Auros, he said, smiling, "No, you cannot have my sword!" They both laughed. "You play the part of the arrogant Noldo quite well, my friend; so well that sometimes you succeed without trying. But some of us know you better than that. You have a task already, so I bring you a message of a different sort from one such person: 'This is not a rejection of the gift, merely a loan. I expect it to be returned personally when your task is finally complete.' I expect that the sender and the gift will need no introductions." Aldawë held out the bundle, and upon taking it Auros indeed perceived both.
Aldawë mounted up and, turning his horse about, he paused for another moment, looking at Auros and Malril, both silent again. "You know, one would think that knowing our paths will cross again one day would make parting now easier. It doesn't. This may not be
the end, but it is
an end. May Elbereth's stars shine upon your faces, my friends." Finally trusting himself to speak, Auros said as the other turned his horse, "Aldawë." Aldawë stopped. "Thank you for standing by us." Aldawë smiled and nodded, then urged the horse to a gallop.