The warm humid air was heavy with the cloying perfume of sweet jasmine and tuberose. Slowly the light shifted, brightening from the soft grey light to the whiteness of a new day. He became aware of voices lifted in greeting and opened his eyes.
A tall, thin elf in a long burgundy robe was smiling at everybody. He seemed to be very well known, and spoke softly using a language Laelas could not decipher.
Yesterday evening he was disinclined for conversation. Oh yes, he has appetite, but no relish, and after eating he is downhearted and anxious.
He felt more and more vulnerable as they stood there murmuring, every so often glancing over in his direction. To his surprise, the tall stranger walked over to stand beside his bed and greeted him heartily. Laelas just stared back.
The stranger ventured a “hello,” in Sindarin and said his name was Parnard, Ambassador of Something-or-Other. Laelas had the feeling that he was expecting some sort of reaction to this, so he gave an awkward nod. He hoped the stranger would not keep standing over him staring down at him with that big determined grin. If he expected him to smile back, he would be waiting a very long time! To his surprise, the stranger sat down in the chair beside his bed, and gathering his robes, he quietly made himself comfortable.
Then the elf known as Parnard began to talk. His conversation focused on pleasant things – how nice a day it was, how green the leaves were, how glad he was to see the swallows back in their same roof-tree again, how very fond he was of the swallows and all sociable birds, and was there too much light coming in through the curtain in the afternoon? He could close the curtain if Laelas wished, but it was very pleasant to see the setting sun shine through the glass in tints of red, purple and orange flame. He did not know what virtue made the light shine forth in different colors through the panes at the top of the casement, but it did, and Laelas must take his word for it, as it was morning-time now.
Laelas tried his best to listen attentively and not show any signs of unease or worry. Even the slightest of sighs drew concerned looks from the healers. They made too much fuss. Yet he could not smile back at his visitor, despite knowing that this, too, was a reason for concern. Parnard, having exhausted his scanty knowledge of the curious light-refracting window beside the bed, peered closely at Laelas. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his face was wan.
“Laelas,” began Parnard, hesitating several moments before continuing kindly, "Salabdur tells me you are very morose and gloomy.”
“Why would I not be gloomy," he muttered.
“Certainly you have cause to be! but when the day is long and one is tired, it is easy to fall into a trap of worry that our thoughts cannot escape. When I cannot sleep, I go for a walk. But you should not do that - not yet. Later I shall bring you wine,” he added politely. “Salabdur said it would be alright, if you did not drink it like water.”
“What about my friends!” cried Laelas.
“I shall bring another bottle or two for them.”
“No! I mean, what about my friends who are lost in the Wild!”
“Oh – yes, yes, of course, forgive me! Hmm - as for the search efforts in which we have undertaken, well, we do not need to discuss such matters now, only know that we are still looking for your companions. Ah! I have said too much! Doubtless, you will not rest until you hear everything, and I cannot not tell you that, but I shall say this – long we searched, high and low, from the peaks of the mountains to the depths of the goblin jails, until our search plans were halted by ill fortune. We lost one of our people to the Goblins. Now, I could easily regard this as the blackest of nights, and his beloved could just as easily throw away her life in despair. But, no! She has found the will to carry on, and, overall, I think we did as best as we could, considering. So much for Bar-en-Vanimar!” He drew himself up proudly in his chair.
“Now keep no vigil tonight,” continued Parnard. He rose with feigned casualness, smoothing out his lordly robes. “You must be quite worn out. If you can, rest, and be at peace: you are welcome to stay here amongst us, as long as you wish. To-morrow we shall speak again. ”
Laelas did not try to detain him, and slipping away quietly Parnard left Salabur and his assistants huddled over a book on the table. What would this overfamiliar stranger not tell him about his missing friends! And where had these people put his bow? Perhaps he would put on the strange clothes they laid out for him and get up. Laelas wiped perspiration from his brow and wrinkled his nose. His whole face reeked of overripe flowers.
