A/N: I'm sort of biased, since my brother writes these, but this is my favorite chapter so far and I adore it. Hope you enjoy, and leave some comments for heraldofmanwe!

Eddil and Caranel spent the first day of the festival with Eddil's family while Aldamir, Gram and Timothy went down to the docks to shop at stalls filled with goods from Harad and Umbar. Always eager to trade, Aldamir met with a few merchants he knew from his father's business and bought assorted oddities he thought he could sell at a profit further north. A few books on Haradric culture caught Timothy's eye. Unfortunately Gram found nothing of interest to him, so he went to the monument to Imrahil and paid respects on his grandfather's behalf. Elerína for her part joined Amdirien for a grand dinner ball. She observed the Princess closely, and continued to be impressed with her political acumen.

That night Amdirien came to speak with Elerína in her room.

"Thank you again for your help this morning," she said. "I am in your debt."

"I'm sure I will need something from you eventually," smiled Elerína.

"I did get you into the royal ball," noted the Princess with a smile.

"What is scheduled for tomorrow?" asked Elerína.

"Tournaments and all manner of contests," said Amdirien. "I am expected to attend. Would you like to come with me?"

Elerína agreed to go. The next morning they took seats in a grandstand beside an open field outside the main gate of the walled city. There was space for jousting, archery, and all manner of swordplay. There were racetracks for both foot races and horse races. In every event there were two categories: professional and amateur. Anyone who currently served in any part of Gondor's military was considered professional. Everyone else, no matter how much coin they had made through feats of arms as an adventurer, was considered an amateur. Only one event was limited to professionals: jousting, on account of the death toll in prior years. As Elerína surveyed the fields of play, she noted some familiar faces.

Caranel entered the professional bracket for archery, which was almost entirely filled with other rangers. With Fëalas present it was generally accepted that everyone else was playing for second.

Eddil and Aldamir both entered the amateur dueling bracket. This was widely considered the most prestigious of the contests. Eldarion and Aderthon, despite being officers in the Gondorian army by birth, often competed in it because everyone wanted a chance to either defeat them or tell all their friends that they had sparred with the Prince of Gondor. The Prince and his cousin had combined to win the previous five years, so with them away on their adventure in the east everyone viewed this as an especially competitive year.

Gram entered the horse races - all of them. They had short races, long races, and races involving various obstacles. One in particular, which involved throwing spears at targets along the route, he felt particularly confident about.

As Elerína looked around she noticed a group of children in the stands, no older than twelve.

"Go say hello to them," said Elerína to Amdirien.

"What? Why?"

"Because what child wouldn't want to meet the princess?" asked Elerína. "When they grow up they'll support you because when they were little you took the time to talk to them."

Amdirien did as she was asked, and the children were overjoyed to meet her. She was very kind to them, and they ran off to tell all their friends what had happened. Elerína stood back and smiled. Amdirien would make an excellent pupil.

"See what I mean?" said Elerína when she returned. "Someday they will be your soldiers and your farmers."

"I am not worried about their loyalty," replied Amdirien proudly. "The people of Gondor are loyal to the crown."

Elerína shook her head. "In desperate times it is not as simple as loyalty. Gondor needs strong leadership."

"They have my brother," began the Princess.

"And what of you?" asked Elerína. "With a little training and practice I think you could wield considerable influence."

Amdirien had long ago come to terms with her brother inheriting the throne. He was the firstborn and a natural leader of men. Every soldier of Gondor was already prepared to give their life for him. Ever she struggled to balance her own ambition with fear of appearing to challenge her brother.

"Who are you?" sighed Amdirien. "I can't trust you if you won't even tell me that much..."

"Ilmarë," she said softly.

Amdirien made no reply.

"Please tell me you have heard the name," begged Elerína, loathing the thought that she might have to introduce herself as 'Eönwë's wife.' She was proud of her husband, but she was also disappointed by how much his fame outstripped hers in Middle Earth.

Galadriel's writings, which Amdirien had studied at length, spoke of Ilmarë as the greatest politician in Valinor. They said even the Valar were loath to cross her - what finer teacher could a young Princess desire?

"The Handmaiden of Varda - they say you were greater even than Sauron," stammered the Princess.

Elerína blushed. That, she thought, was a wonderful answer!

"What do you expect from me in return?" asked Amdirien, suddenly apprehensive at the thought of dealing with a being of such immense power.

"I'm not Sauron - this isn't some twisted bargain," replied Elerína. "I'm not offering you power; I am offering to teach you. I will benefit from having a friend with real influence in Minas Tirith, and I think Middle Earth will benefit as well."

"My father knows who you are?" asked the Princess.

"Yes," nodded Elerína. "As does Thranduil, who recognized my husband, and Thorin son of Dain, King Under the Mountain."

"Oh my!" gasped Amdirien. "Thorongil is..."

"Eönwë, yes," smiled Elerína. "And as your first test, I want you to hide how much more excited you are about meeting him than me."

The Princess laughed long and loudly. "I am sorry, Your Grace," she then said more quietly. "I regret that the minstrels and bards speak much more of him than of you."

"How is it you know to call me that?" asked Elerína, surprised to hear herself addressed in the manner she preferred in Valinor.

"Galadriel wrote about you," said Amdirien.

"Oh did she..." said the maia looking away. "Then I am surprised you want anything to do with me."

"Her views on you were, shall we say, complex," explained Amdirien. "And they evolved over time."

"When she left Valinor her views were quite simple - she hated me."

"Her later writings mentioned you mostly in the context of noting that she had become like you," said the Princess. "She understood why you refused to help the Noldor once she had her own people to govern and protect."

Suddenly a great horn was heard. The games were about to begin. Elerína and Amdirien went to their seats in a raised box in the front row, where many noble families also sat.

"Do you have any particular interest in the competitors?" asked Elerína.

"The captain of my guard will be competing," replied the Princess. "I told him if he wins I would meet his daughter."

"I'll do it either way," she added, guessing what Elerína would say. "Do you have any interest in the games?"

"The adventurers who went with my husband to rescue the ranger company at Cirith Ungol are out there," she answered. "I am curious to see how they fare."

Caranel's competition came first. Eight archers took five shots each and were awarded points based on each shot. Four of the eight advanced, and Caranel came in second. She also won her second match later that afternoon.

Gram's first event was a short race. His horse was not suited to such a contest and he did poorly. He was unbothered by this because his countrymen took first and second. Men of Dol Amroth murmured that perhaps next year the Rohirrim should have they own separate race. That afternoon he competed in mounted spear throwing, where he placed second among all the competitors and won himself a small amount of coin.

Aldamir and Eddil both easily won their matches. There would be stiffer competition the next day, when the field would be whittled down from sixty-four to only eight. They had little hope of winning the entire contest - their goal was to reach the final day. Eddil had done so once, losing in the round of eight to Aderthon. Aldamir had never been past the round of thirty-two, though he frequently drew hard competition. He had lost twice to Aderthon and once to Prince Eldarion himself.

That evening there was more feasting, dancing, and all manner of celebrating. At Elerína's insistence Amdirien spent more time among the common folk than she would have liked. The next morning they assembled in the grandstand for what most considered the best day of the games. The weaker competition had been eliminated but there were enough competitors remaining to have games all day long.

"Is there sport like this in Valinor?" asked Amdirien, while she and Elerína waited for others to join them in their box.

"Yes indeed," replied Elerína. "The Noldor are quite fond of contests of any kind, and contests of arms most of all - as is my husband."

Once again archery was early in the morning, and Caranel won both her matches. In doing so she advanced to the final day. Gram competed in an extremely long horse race, consisting of multiple laps around the city, which took hours to complete. He placed in eighth out of over a hundred competitors, but he was disappointed that it was a rider from Belfalas who beat out his countrymen to take first prize.

Eddil and Aldamir were consistently lucky in their draws, and both reached the round of sixteen. They then drew each other, which both claimed to be disappointed by but actually preferred. One of them was assured a place in the final day's proceedings and he would get to best his friend before a large crowd.

The duel took longer than most as both men knew the other's style. Gram, Timothy and Caranel watched anxiously. To Caranel's disappointment it was Aldamir who carried the day, beating his dear friend and celebrating excessively afterwards. Eddil couldn't complain - he had planned to do the same, he even had a few of his friends make a 'Dol Amroth over Minas Tirith' banner for him to wear on his back if he won.

The third day of the tournament - the fourth and final day of the festival - was quieter. Many travellers to the coastal city left for home throughout the day. After a quiet breakfast in the palace Elerína and Amdirien went to watch the end of the tournaments.

Archery came first, and as expected Fëalas won with a perfect score in the finals. Caranel came in seventh overall, and was disappointed with her performance that day. Aldamir lost his first match to a retired Citadel Guard. In the evening the Princess presented prizes to the winners of the tournament at the final feast of the festival.

"Congratulations cousin!" she cried, finding Fëalas among the crowd. "Your brother would be glad to see the children of Elrohir claim something from these contests."

"It is a shame both he and Círeth are away," she replied. "I am not as good with a sword as they."

"Will you ride back with me to Minas Tirith tomorrow?" asked Amdirien excitedly.

The ranger shook her head. "I regret not. I sail at first light to Umbar on the Tar-Minyatur."

"We are sending the flagship?" interrupted the Princess.

Fëalas's usually joyous expression turned serious. "Yes, cousin. There are reports of unrest. Your father believes a show of force is necessary to dissuade open defiance."

"Stay safe, Fëalas - that's an order," teased Amdirien.

"Yes ma'am!"