[Belin]

*****Rivendell*****

The hobbit's soft footfalls made no echo on the floor of the great hall, but the dwarf's boots were another story. All the same, Elladan was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't glance toward them for several seconds, by which time he had already considered carefully the option of dropping into the shadows and waiting for them to go away. He had no intention of revealing his worries to all and sundry, and in particular to guests. In any case, nobody, with the possible exception of Elrohir, knew how carefully he planned his interactions with others, how he spent long nights quietly wandering the halls in search of insight, and he wasn't quite sure what he would do if someone were to mention these odd habits to him. He imagined, briefly, that he might show them a far less diplomatic and agreeable side under such circumstances.

But these were guests, and they walked with soft steps that bespoke their awe of Rivendell and the beauty of the hall they entered. Serin, then. That Mikhelm would never walk in such a way. Elladan had been pleasantly surprised by the younger dwarf. Quick to conversation, eager to learn, and hopeful about the king, Serin was everything that Elladan had not expected from the dwarves, and just what he might have wanted from a friend. It occurred to him, fleetingly, that perhaps Serin too was using the night to consider the very problems that troubled Elladan, but he quickly pushed this thought away. After all, he wouldn't have wanted Serin to think any such thing of him.

Besides, with him was a hobbit. Clearly, this night was to be a social event. Very well, then. He moved toward them.

"The moon?" he said.

They glanced at each other, slightly disconcerted by this way of starting a conversation. Orlo muttered something and stared at his feet. Serin stood quietly for a moment.

"Is it for the moon, then, master elf, that you're here?"

Elladan paused as well. "No," he said finally, "this is the night before the journey, and I am restless." Certainly this was close enough to the truth.

"Then you understand--" began Serin, but stopped short. Orlo, at the same moment, had piped up, "Me too," in a moment of daring. He felt a sudden strange elevation. He was part of this company as well, he understood their restlessness, he was every bit as worthy of... oh, they were looking at him.

"You are eager to be off, then, Orlo Hornblower?" asked Elladan.

"I am... Well, yes. I've never been to any of the great cities before, I've never seen the king, I've never seen anything really. Will it be all right?"

They were still staring at him. This was not how he was meant to talk, he was sure of it.. he nudged Serin. He had spoken of this with the dwarf before, so he at least should understand.

Serin bowed, apparently gathering his thoughts. "I think Orlo is really wondering about some of the members of--"

"Fanelen!" cried Elladan. She must be completely transparent to them. Silly girl. He would have to-

"Of our own party, actually," finished Serin, with a shrewd glance at the elf.

"Perhaps," answered Elladan slowly, smiling in spite of himself, "perhaps we shall have to watch them."

Serin considered. "An alliance for alliances?"

Orlo frowned. An alliance against those against alliance seemed to him to have certain problems that he didn't know how to articulate, exactly.