(A/N: I've gotten a couple of questions about a line in Ch. 10 -- "Fastred noted when his Lady Mother watched Lord Lassah play with her children, her face acquired a pained look, as though Lassah were hurting himself somehow, and by proxy hurting her too."  This was an obviously over-subtle nod to My Dear Bandobras, in which Eowyn and Arwen commiserate that Legolas will never have children of his own.  Sorry for the confusion!  -- Le Rouret)

The vast bulk of Amon Din blocked out the darkling sky and loomed black and knobbly against the opalescent, star-speckled dome hung above them; it was spiky with trees, with high narrow pines and ashes and firs, and hulking ungainly outcroppings of rock that jutted like the prows of so many monstrous ships from the jagged slopes, and at its crest was the great watchtower and beacon, a low squat turret.  Yet nestled in the arms of this fearsome hill was the sprawling town of Amon Din, sparkling with homelights and surmounted by the great Keep, which had brooded over the fertile valley below since time immemorial; it was a squat half-circle growing out of the side of the hill topped with drum-towers and turrets, and pierced with arrow-loops.  They could see the guards upon the crenellated battlements looking down at their company; their armor gleamed in the light of the torches they bore.  The pennants snapping from the poles upon the high towers were black in the darkness but they knew what they would see upon them in any case:  The red of Amon Din, and the fierce boar that was the sigil of Aldamir son of Castamir's house, gold and rampant and menacing.

The Elves and their companions jogged on the dark road, the horses eager to arrive for they knew within those walls were hay and warmth and rest.  All about them lay the fields and barns and meadows, thick with grain, and the orchards; one could not descry the fruit hanging darkly from the heavy boughs, but could smell apples and peaches, ripening in the warm late summer; here and there one could see the twinkling lights of some farm-house set back from the road.  The city walls rose above them as they approached, dark though topped with bright torches and lanterns, their harsh angles softened by the large hollies that grew all round the walls.  Then the great oaken gates groaned open, and a horn sounded within the wall; a company of twenty soldiers came out, all on horseback, in gleaming armor with red surcoats; at their head rode Aldamir of Amon Din, tall and dark, splendidly arrayed in his tourney armor; his snorting destrier pawed at the ground, its shaffron sparkling with carven metal and ruddy engraved runes.  The blood-red pennants stirred in the warm evening breeze and Legolas and Bandobras broke away from the vanguard, meeting Aldamir and his standard-bearer in the center of the road before the gates.  Green and Red came together, dismounted and embraced; then Cirien also approached, beneath a flag of yellow borne by the scout Lirlindil, and Meivel nudged Karakse with the butt of his spear, so that Fastred came forward as well, and behind him rode Himbaláth, bearing the flag of Rohan, a white horse upon a green field.  Aldamir turned from Legolas with a smile.

"O Cirien the Wise, Yellow Knight of Edhellond!" he cried, waiting respectfully for Cirien to dismount, which the old man did slowly, as his limbs did not move as briskly as they used.  The Red and Yellow Knights embraced, and Fastred clambered down from Karakse's back, feeling very small.  "And Fastred son of Faramir, Prince of Osgiliath and of Rohan!" said Aldamir, taking him by the shoulder and kissing the crown of his head.  "Welcome to Amon Din!  Many years has it been since you sojourned within my keep.  Happy is the day that I welcome knights of such honor and renown, but twice-blessed am I to house the heir of Meduseld, who goes forth from his land to succor his distaff peoples, and take up his royal duty as the future king of Rohan."  He turned then to his soldiers, and to the crowd of people who had come out of their homes to see what was happening, and proclaimed in a loud voice: "Amon Din bids the Green Knight welcome!"

"Hail the Green Knight, champion of Amon Din!" cried the people as one.  "Hail the Green Knight on his midnight destrier!"

"Amon Din bids the Yellow Knight welcome!" said Aldamir again.

"Hail the Yellow Knight, Cirien the Wise!" cried the people.

"And Amon Din bids Lord Fastred the Heir of Meduseld welcome!"

"Hail Fastred of Rohan!  Hail the Lord of Osgiliath!"

"There," said Aldamir quietly, turning back from the din to his friends with a twinkle in his dark eyes.  "That ought to satisfy them; they love pageantry, but I have yet to organize a private tourney for their benefit – harvest is late this year, you know."  And mounting their steeds the company entered the gates.  The people cheered and the women all fluttered their handkerchiefs and dish-towels and aprons and poseys, especially the young maids, for whom the arrival of all these beautiful Elven warriors was an occasion of great pleasure; a fruitless hope, but attractive nonetheless.  Legolas was an obvious favorite, and he acknowledged their cries with a sly smile and a wave of his hand; to Fastred's surprise Meivel and Himbaláth also came in for their just due of admiration; Himbaláth seemed sheepish and somewhat embarrassed by the accolades, but his dark superior simply gave the girls coolly disinterested glances, and then ignored them.  Hirilcúllas and Andunië who rode together were gazed upon with great interest and approbation by the young men; Hirilcúllas smiled down upon them from her golden mare, but Andunië like her brother marked them not, fixing her sober gaze instead upon the battlements above.

They passed beneath the barbican and thus into the keep, winding round the narrow cobbled streets into which were built the homes that housed the hardy folk of Amon Din.  They crossed into the bailey and thus to the palace; at its stout low gate stood a man in full armor, and a tall slender woman with two small boys.  The littlest of the boys was hopping up and down in his excitement and clapping his hands; as they approached they could hear him chattering breathlessly:  "O here they come, Mother!  Look, look, there is Lord Lassah now!  And there is his Bandy!  O look, look!  Look at all the pretty Elves with him, Mother!  And look at Lord Lassah's big black horse!  I want a big black horse too, Mother; if I am good do you think he will give me one?"  To this his brother replied scornfully:  "O be not so stupid, Túrgil; that horse is too big for you.  You will have to wait until you are very old to ride a horse like that."

"Hush!" said their mother mildly, smiling upon them with tender affection; then Aldamir dismounted and they embraced, and the Red Knight turned unto his guests.

"Noble friends!" he cried.  "Welcome to my house!  Enter and be glad, for though the world be not a perfect place it does achieve it close when such good friends draw near."

Everyone dismounted, and Legolas bowed to Aldamir's wife.  "My Lady Lalanath," he said, "it is with joy I look upon your fair countenance once more."

"Dear friend," smiled Lalanath as he kissed her hand.  "The children have been desolate in your absence."  They looked down at the two small boys, who were squabbling round their mother's skirts; when they saw Legolas was near them they both launched themselves at his knees, speaking at once.

"Look, look!" cried Túrgil.  "I have lost two teeth already, Lord Lassah!  See the holes in my mouth?  Now I can spit seeds twice as far!"

"I shot three arrows into the target today, Lord Lassah!" said Galen, tugging at the Elf's doublet.  "One of them even hit the second ring!  If the sun were up I could show you but because it is dark Mother says I must wait until tomorrow."

"May I have a black horse, Lord Lassah? Galen says I am too small but I should dearly love to have a black horse like yours."

"If Túrgil gets a black horse I want one too!" cried Galen indignantly.  Then he espied Fastred standing beside Karakse, and his eyes lit up.  "No, Lord Lassah; I have changed my mind; may I have a piebald horse like Lord Fastred?  Only I want one brown-and-white, not black-and-white."

"I want a piebald horse too!" shouted Túrgil.

"Yes," said Legolas wryly to Lalanath; "I can see their desolation writ large in their features."  The Lady smiled, and said to her sons:

"Do you not remember, O my sons, what I said unto you concerning our guests?  You are hosts too; do you please fulfill your duties in our house."

"Yes, Mother!" they both said, and ran toward Fastred.  "Fastred, Fastred!" they said, embracing him madly; Fastred laughed and hugged them back.  "It has been very long since you were here last," said Galen.  "Look; I am near tall as you now!  Or at least near tall as your chest.  I have a new catapult; would you like to see me use it?"

"Is it true you are going to be a king?" asked Túrgil.  "I think it would be very fine to be a king, for you will be able to sit and order people about and eat whatever you like.  What will your crown look like?  Do you think it will be heavy?"

"Mother and Father say you may come and stay with us," said Galen, tugging at Fastred's hand.  "We are eating in the nursery tonight, and we are going to have boar pie and stewed pears and sweetbread and blood sausage and bread and milk, and if we are good Nurse says we might have pudding.  You may eat with the grown-ups if you rather," he added in a low voice, "but I think it will be gayer with us, for grown-ups are so tedious, you know."

Fastred hesitated and glanced back at Legolas, who smiled and nodded.  "You shall be constrained to formality all too soon," he said.  "Go, foregather with your small friends; it may be long ere you are able to play again."  With a glad smile then Fastred let Galen and Túrgil take him by the hand, and together the three boys ran into the house.  Then Legolas turned to the knight, clasping his manifered hand with a glad cry.  "Mardil!" he said.  "This is a delightful surprise!  I did not know you had sojourned so far north."

The Silver Knight removed his helm, and he and Legolas embraced.  "I am actually further south, O my friend, than I have been these past six months," he said smiling.  "I arrived from Celduin two days ago, and our good friend the Red Knight implored me stay a while; as my seneschal has things well in hand in Ethring I allowed myself to be persuaded, especially as our Lord Aldamir did inform me you should be here as well, on your way to Rohan."

"Come; let us go inside!" said Aldamir, taking his wife's arm.  "The feast is prepared and I am sure you are all travel-weary."

"Not so weary as we shall be, I'll wager," sighed Bandobras, giving Bumblebee's reins to a waiting groom, and followed his Master inside.

**************

The feast was everything even a Hobbit could have hoped for.  There were three kinds of soup and five of fish; the venison haunches were cooked to a turn, and the roasted boar so tender the meat dropped rich and wet from the bone; the skin was crackled and salty and dripping in fat.  The breads and pies and rolls were hot and fresh, and there were whole flocks of quail swimming in thick gravy.  Great yellow wheels of cheese were set out, and steaming boiled chestnuts, and hot aromatic herbs in heavy wooden bowls.  Aldamir had broached the best casks of wine in his cellars and it flowed purple and sparkling into the goblets and cups of his guests, loosening their tongues and brightening their faces; some of the Elves began to sing even as they ate, and the courtiers of Amon Din watched and listened to their fair neighbors with delight. After some hours the cooks came to the buttery hatches with shouts of acclamation, and all watched with pleasurable excitement as the subtleties were brought in.  There was one shaped like an armored warrior, covered all over with pale green leaves; from beneath the hard-sugar helm flowed yellow icing like hair; the Lord of Dol Galenehtar laughed when he saw it, and proclaimed any Elf eating of that subtlety would be guilty of cannibalism.  Several more came out, wonderfully crafted; a ship with spun-sugar sails, and a pitcher painted in bright gay colors and filled with sweet stewed cherries, and a great sunny mound set in a cloud of clotted cream dotted with tiny berry birds.  Most amusing of them all was the silvery castle, complete with tiny pennants and the figures of people looking out the oriels; the drawbridge was cunningly made, and when a small candy crank was turned it raised and lowered itself over a moat of rich spicy custard, in which were suspended little ducks and geese and grebes.  Legolas, to whom the subtlety was presented, protested it were far too clever to eat; Aldamir though broke off the upper turret himself and put it upon his friend's platter, and bit by bit the little castle was dismantled, until the outer walls were all broken away, revealing within candied fruit rolled in sparkling sugar, and fried nuts, and crisp white divinity coins.

After the feast there was a pageant, depicting the Green Knight upon his Midnight Destrier (actually the chandler, perched precariously upon the draped back of one of the cooper's assistants) charging to the aid of the people of a small village, who were being harassed by a terrible and very strangely-armed group of orcs, mostly the servants' children with fantastically painted faces, who shook candle sticks and pokers and other humble tools.  The chandler kept his seat admirably during the battle, but when the cooper was whacked by a particularly enthusiastic child wielding a chamber-pot the whole lot of them tumbled to the rushes with a great clatter and clank; the orc-army stared aghast, then bolted for the buttery hatches.  Though chagrined the mummers bowed and grinned when applauded, and accepted their payment of bone and trencher happily enough; after the servants had gathered the stray household implements scattered about the floor the minstrels took up a lively air, and everyone began a reel.

The merry Elves all joined the fray, circling and stamping and clapping with their mortal friends, and even the Lord of Dol Galenehtar enjoyed a turn or two, first with the lady of the castle and then with the wife of a visiting vassal; his white bejeweled doublet flashed and glittered in the lamplight, and his long pale hair swung round his shoulders like a golden curtain.  But after some time he returned to the high table where sat the Red and Silver Knights, speaking solemnly with Cirien.  Under cover of the noise Legolas drew near to them, and Cirien said:

"We are tardy, O Green Knight my friend; Théalof passed through here not two days hence."

Aldamir's kindly face was pained, and he said: "Alas that I knew not his latest perfidy!  I did welcome the miscreant within my halls, and gave unto him such hospitality as I saw fit for an emissary; had I known the depths of his vice I should have held him here awaiting your hand, O my friend."

"Had you done so you should surely have evoked violence from Rohan," said Legolas.  "It is as well you knew not his intrigues.  After all even Éomer withholds the hand of justice from him.  And your honest countenance would bring him hope and security; perhaps thinking himself safe he shall stumble the more."

Aldamir shook his head.  "That I have housed such a vile malefactor within my very halls!" he said.  "He even sat to table here, and with smooth and flattering words complimented my cooks, my house, even my family."

"You did well though," said Mardil.  "You did not set your seal upon the documents he presented unto you; you are under no constraint to ally yourself with him at least."

"Have you still these documents?" asked Cirien.

"I have not," said Aldamir.  "Théalof took them with him; he said he would set the scribes to altering those passages to which I took offense, so that our treaty might be made the better all round.  Yet it is the same as I have said unto you, my lords all; he requests I present myself and my army at his bequest – not Éomer's – and he offers a portion of the lands by the Onodló unto me, and treats that the roads be made the more open and safe, so that trade betwixt Amon Din and Rohan be increased – 'To the mutual benefit of our kingdoms,' he did say unto me, smiling his smooth smile.  And he did ask me, O my friends, if I were to be present at the coronation of the young heir of Meduseld; when I said I had not yet decided – for I could not tell whether or no he approved of such a plan, and did not want to show my hand to him, fearing his retribution – he congratulated me on my foresight, and said unto me the passing of the throne on to a son of Gondor would be greatly opposed by his people, and if I wished to maintain good relations betwixt Amon Din and Rohan I should abstain, for my presence would indicate tacit approval, and hurt the trade-houses."

"I do confess me I comprehend not his schemings," said Mardil frowning.  "To what end seeks he to garner support of my brother knights and vassals in the South, and persuade alliance from those neighbors closest to him?"

"It is Aldamir's proximity – not physical only, but political as well – that concerns him, I deem," said Cirien.  "After all the Red Knight is close not only to Anórien and the Eastfold, but to the Lord of Dol Galenehtar, who is in turn within the confidences of two great kings."

"Three," piped Bandobras, who had just joined them upon the dais, clutching a cup of ale in one hand, and a chicken wing in the other.  "Don't you go forgetting his dad, now."

"Three kings, then," conceded Cirien, smiling down at the Hobbit, who had clambered upon a chair beside his Master and sat, swinging his small feet in time to the music and starting in on the wing.  "Anyway should Aldamir be made to hold neutral, and Legolas as well, by the draining of these fens that shall strengthen his position in Rohan, and also in south Gondor where he has also managed to insinuate some control."

"I do not see the southern vassals dancing to Théalof's tune though," said Mardil.  "Misguided though my brethren might be I do not believe they shall do any harm to Rohan, treaties or no."

"I hope not," said Legolas; "that would be grave indeed, to set Gondor against Éomer.  And the vassals look to Faramir and to me for guidance in Elessar's absence, seated as we are upon the gateway of the northern kingdoms, yet as Fastred is Faramir's son I do not think he shall be able to hold sway should they march when asked to fulfill their oaths."

"And you shall not be there in any case," said Mardil; "you shall be in Rohan, and what shall your seneschal do in your absence?"

"O do not concern yourself with Galás," laughed Legolas.  "Blithe and light-hearted he may seem to you, my friends, but do you please recall he fought at my grandsire's side ere I was born or thought of."

"He is your elder?" asked Aldamir in surprise.  "I knew not that; I had thought you to be the older of the two."

"Nay!  Galás is old even as we reckon it," said Legolas smiling.  "Deep and merry and fierce is that son of Doriath; he and Kaimelas shall hold my tower safe, and guard the pass betwixt the two Ithiliens, should occasion arise.  But I hope it shall not so do.  Yet if the lords of southern Gondor answer Théalof's call, and pass through to the Druadan, you, Aldamir, shall be the last corridor to Rohan; will you hold it firm?  Combat I hope you might avoid, for though they disdain the words of the Steward and my seneschal, you are a vassal of Elessar and their brother knight, and they shall hear you when you speak."

"I am not known for my wisdom but my wealth," objected Aldamir looking pained.  "Why should they hear me?  I have no need to pander to foreign lords promising fiscal remuneration, but they do."

"As do I," said Mardil stoutly.  "By your leave I shall remain here, to treat with them should they come."

"I also," said Cirien.  "They know I withhold allegiance from Théalof; some already question their treaties.  Betwixt us three we ought to have sufficient argument to delay them at least."

"And forget not merry Araval!" said Mardil.  "He will come with them and chivvy them, so that when they arrive they shall already be harassed, and eager to listen to our message."

"I hope it shall not come to that," said Legolas.  "If fortune smiles upon us, I shall deliver Fastred unto Éomer, and unwind the plots of Théalof and Bréawine, and return home ere more trouble might arise."

"I'll drink to that!" said Bandobras, standing upon his chair and refilling the knights' goblets.  "I want to be home before it gets cold.  Mother worries so, you know, Master."

The knights smiled, and took their wine; after a moment Legolas' face changed, and he studied Mardil with growing concern; then he put down his goblet with some force, leaned forward with hand outstretched, and exclaimed, "Mardil!  What is that?"

"What?" cried Mardil, disconcerted, and the others stared at Legolas in surprise.

"That!" said Legolas, taking a strand of Mardil's curly hair in his long white fingers and giving a sharp tug.  Mardil grunted as the hair snapped free, and he rubbed his scalp indignantly; Cirien and Aldamir looked with consternation at Legolas, who was holding the hair before his eyes; the look upon his face was horrified.  "White!" cried Legolas in dismay; the hair trembled in his hand.  "What has happened, O my friend?  What terrible deeds were visited upon you, that has turned your hair untimely white?  What persons or events conspire to distress you so?"

"It is not so untimely, O Legolas; I have achieved thirty-nine winters," said Mardil wryly, as the Elf leaned forward again, touching the silvery strands tangled in with the black tendrils above his ears.  Legolas drew back, alarmed.

"Thirty-nine!" he cried disbelievingly.  "O no, Mardil; that cannot be – you are so young yet, a child still – "

"Thirty-nine," repeated Mardil with a smile.

"But you, you were so young when we met – " began Legolas, his fair face filled with anguish; Cirien chuckled and plucked the white hair from between the Elf's fingertips.

" 'Tis thirteen years ere you established your fiefdom, O Green Knight," he said, rolling the hair round in his bony wrinkled hands.  "Make the sum yourself, Prince of Mirkwood; we are none of us so young – save Master Bandobras of course."

"Not for long," protested Bandobras; "I shall achieve my majority in five years you know."

"But, but you have not yet wed nor had children," remonstrated Legolas; "you cannot possibly have white hair – "

"Ah!" said Mardil sadly, and took a deep draught of wine.  "Yes, 'twas for that selfsame reason I did take me to Celduin; a maiden there was, who through letters written betwixt her father and me ought to have accompanied me back to be my bride; however when I arrived I found the situation not so secure as I had been led to believe, nor the contract fast, and so I return with one horse empty-saddled, when before I had hoped for a full contingent."  He looked so despondent that Cirien and Bandobras turned away from his sorrow; Aldamir regarded his friend with deep sympathy, and Legolas, mercurial being he was, cast aside thoughts of white hair and gave a great leap, his face alert and calculating.

"Why Mardil, I did not know you were so intent upon finding for yourself a lady!" he said.  "Thirty-nine!  Aye, of course; it is past time for you to be wed; why have I not thought of it ere now?  And think you upon the many children you might sire, that I should dandle upon my knees!  Yes, O my dear friend, it is time you were joined with a suitable lady – "

"But that is the conundrum, O Legolas," said Mardil, now quite red about the face, and speaking very quietly, so that none in the hall might overhear.  "I have attempted for these past ten years to find for me a lady of suitable temperament and station, but have failed; there are none to be had in Ethring now, and I am unable to go far abroad much, for I have my own fiefdom to run.  I cannot run round looking for a lady, and matchmakers are too dear."

"I cannot believe there are no maidens who would not be overwhelmed with joy to be wed to such a brave and loyal knight as you," said Legolas waving one hand.  "Why you are quite good-looking you know, and there are maids a-plenty; I am sure once my current engagement resolves itself I shall be able to find you three or four unobjectionable maidens – "

"I require but one," said Mardil, embarrassed.

"Well, to choose from.  Let me think; I believe within the courts of Minas Tirith the Queen might have secreted a few – "

"Now, Master," said Bandobras, giving the mortified Silver Knight a sympathetic grin.  "Let's not go playing matchmaker; you know how hot under the collar you get when anyone tries it on you."

"O but I do not wish to wed, and Mardil does," said Legolas offhandedly. "This is very different, Little One.  Cirien my friend, does not Araval have a brood of daughters all unwed?  Surely he might spare one for a fellow knight – "

"Legolas – " began Cirien patiently, but Aldamir had been caught up in the excitement and he said:  "O but they are too young, and Mardil must needs have a good dowry to go along with her – Lalanath has a sister; she is not so young as she used to be, and a widow, but a good manager, and carries with her her late husband's estate, though to be sure the lands are round Cair Andros and would have to be sold for a profit."

"O he does not want a widow; he needs a young girl who will bear him many sons," said Legolas standing and looking round the room.  "Let me see – there is a girl over there, the one in the blue dress – "

"Married," said Aldamir apologetically.

"Master – " protested Bandobras, much exasperated.

"Wait a moment, my Bandobras, I am thinking – O what about that one, Aldamir, in the red with the roses in her hair?  She is stout and healthy-looking."

"Ah!  That is the marshall's daughter; I believe she has been walking out with one of the smith's sons."

"A smith's son!  What is a smith's son, compared to such a handsome and mighty knight as our friend here?  Come, Mardil; I shall secure a dance for you."  And grasping the reluctant Mardil by the hand he dragged his friend down upon the rushes; Cirien, Aldamir and Bandobras watched as the Elf flitted light-footed round the reels, bright eyes alight with interest; poor Mardil trailed behind him disconsolately, though Legolas did as promised get him to dance with the stout girl in red.  Cirien sighed and refilled his goblet.

"Poor Mardil!" he said shaking his head.  "Well do I know Legolas Thranduilion; he might soon become distracted from this current fad by our upcoming conflicts, but I do fear me the Silver Knight is in for a bad time of it."

"Perhaps," smiled Aldamir.  "But do you recall, O Cirien, 'twas Legolas' doing my Lalanath and I are wed; without his hand in the affair I should never have had courage to so speak."

"So long's he don't import any Hobbit-lasses for me I'm well satisfied," grunted Bandobras, and sliding off his chair went in search of a fresh cup of ale.