A Different Kind of Heaven [ Silmarillion ] 1

Chapter 5: The Market

With lunch ended, all the elves split to go different ways. Findekáno, no longer tied down by Artanis and Iríssë, joined Nelyo, Káno, and Findaráto with Eve. Findo, extremely curious about her life, suggested they merely sit and chat. But Finno had other plans.

"There are still member of our family she has yet to meet," Findekáno argued. "My father and brother at the least!"

Eve stayed quiet, as she was wont to do in strange places. Her family had called her shy, but that wasn't quite it. She just liked to get a handle on her situations before showing her true passionate colors. And so as the cousins argued, she merely looked around at the throne room they now occupied.

Gold and white remained the prominent design choices as it had been on the way to the palace. A second chandelier, alike but larger than the one from the lower entrance way, hung down and cast light from large candles.

She finally became included in the conversation when Káno stopped their bickering. "Have any of you asked Lady Eve what she would enjoy?"

Both Findaráto and Findekáno nearly blushed in embarrassment. But Eve understood they found her fascinating. She did not mind so long as she didn't have to do anything crazy.

"Do you have an opinion, Lady Eve?" Káno asked her directly. "What would you enjoy doing next?"

"Um, not really." She shrugged. "I think... I think I'd rather not meet a bunch of new people. I can barely keep track of names as it is." Then she paused. "What do you guys do for fun? What do elves...do?"

"Many things," Findaráto replied. "It depends on the elf. I enjoy study, Káno enjoys music. Nelyo often works in the forges, and Finno... Finno what do you do?" He smirked at his cousin.

"I enjoy life," Finno replied with a grin. Then he shook his head and turned to Eve. "I enjoy travel and archery. And bothering the sons of Fëanáro."

"This one is true at least," Káno joked.

Findekáno laughed. "To be fair, Nelyo often accompanies me in my travels. And we all enjoy music. I would say most of the Eldar do, though few as much as Kánafinwë."

After laughing when Káno shoved Findekáno, Findaráto turned to Eve. "What do you do for enjoyment, Eve?"

"I read books and I like art." They saw a glint in her eye of excitement. "My dad and me and my siblings, we all work in his art supply store. It is - was - great." The excitement was gone, and replaced by regret. "But then, that's over I guess."

They all fell silent then, unsure of what to say. But finally, after several moments, Káno spoke again. "If you enjoy art, you enjoy beauty. This place that we live, Valinor, it is filled with beauty."

"Yeah, I can tell," she agreed immediately, looking around the room. "I've never seen anything quite like this."

"So, shall we show you more of our home?" Findekáno asked her gesturing towards the exit into the grand stairwell. "There is much to see, and now I am rid of the children."

"How about the market?" Nelyo suggested. "Our mother would likely appreciate it if we brought home dinner along with Eve tonight."

"Yes!" Eve agreed immediately. "I want to thank your mother somehow. And food is always the answer."

At that, the cousins laughed and agreed wholeheartedly. Eve, a bounce in her step at the idea of helping Nerdanel, followed behind them excitedly. She noticed that Kánafinwë always stayed behind her. She appreciated this, guessing correctly that he did not wish for her to get lost. And so after descending five flights of stairs, they came to the exit. Eve, leading now after Finno stopped to fix his boot, ran almost directly into a tall elf with dark hair who entered the palace.