Mira stopped in front of a large set of double doors.
"This is the dining room, young miss," she said gently.
Elowen stared up at it, her small hands tightening around Pippin.
"…It's big…"
Mira smiled faintly. "Yes."
Elowen hesitated.
Then hugged Pippin a little tighter.
"…You'll stay with me, right?" she whispered to him.
"Snort."
Mira's expression softened—but then she carefully reached forward.
"…Young miss, I'm afraid he can't go in with you."
Elowen froze.
"…What?"
"Animals are not allowed in the dining hall," Mira explained gently. "I'll hold onto him for you. Just for now."
Elowen's grip tightened immediately.
"No…"
Her voice was small.
Reluctant.
Mira knelt in front of her.
"I promise I'll take good care of him," she said softly. "He'll be right here when you come back."
Elowen looked down at Pippin.
Then back at the door.
Then at Mira.
Her lips trembled slightly.
"…Okay…"
Slowly—
very slowly—
she handed Pippin over.
Mira accepted him carefully.
"Be brave, young miss," she said with a reassuring smile. "The Fourth Young Master is not scary."
Elowen blinked.
"…He's not?"
Mira shook her head. "He's kind."
Elowen nodded, though her hands now felt empty.
"…Okay…"
Mira gently pushed the doors open.
"Go on."
Elowen stepped inside.
The doors closed behind her with a soft thud.
She froze for a moment.
The dining room was… huge.
A long table stretched across the room, polished to perfection, with neatly arranged plates and silverware placed in exact positions.
And at the far end—
someone was already there.
A boy.
He looked about her age.
Auburn hair.
Hazel eyes.
He sat quietly in his seat, slightly slouched, his gaze distant as if he were lost in his own thoughts.
Elowen stared.
…Fourth brother…
As if sensing her presence—
he turned.
Their eyes met.
For a moment—
neither of them spoke.
Elowen felt her heart beat faster.
He didn't look scary.
Just… quiet.
They continued staring at each other in silence until Elowen finally looked away, her courage wavering.
She walked slowly toward the table and climbed into a chair—
not too close to him.
Not too far either.
Just… somewhere in between.
She kept her eyes down.
Sneaking small glances at him.
He didn't say anything.
Neither did she.
The room felt too big.
Too quiet.
"…Is Father coming…?" she wondered softly, looking toward the door.
But no one came.
Instead—
servants entered.
One by one, they began placing dishes on the table with practiced precision.
Elowen straightened slightly.
Her hands rested awkwardly in her lap.
She glanced down at the table setting.
So many utensils.
Forks.
Knives.
Spoons.
All arranged in ways she didn't understand.
"…How do I use this…?" she whispered under her breath.
She hesitated, watching carefully as the servants finished setting everything.
Her fingers twitched slightly.
She didn't want to do something wrong.
Didn't want them to look at her like before.
Slowly—
very slowly—
She reached for one of the shiny forks.
Then paused.
"…Um… which one do I use…?"
She looked at all of them again.
There were too many.
"…They all look the same…" she mumbled, poking one lightly.
Her hand hovered in the air, unsure.
"…What if I pick the wrong one…"
A small sound came from across the table.
"…Pfft—"
Elowen froze.
Slowly, she looked up.
The boy across from her was trying to hold in his laughter, his shoulders shaking just a little.
"…Are you laughing at me?" she asked, her voice small.
He covered his mouth quickly.
"S-Sorry!" he said, but he was still smiling. "You just look really confused."
Elowen puffed her cheeks slightly.
"I am confused…" she muttered.
That made him laugh again—this time a little softer.
"…Okay, okay," he said, calming down. "Look. I'll show you."
He picked up his utensils.
"You start from the outside," he explained, moving slowly so she could see. "Then you go in."
Elowen leaned forward, watching very seriously.
"…Outside…"
She carefully picked up the same fork.
"…Like this?"
"Yeah," he said. "That's right."
Her eyes brightened just a little.
"Oh…"
She looked at the fork like she had just won something.
"…I did it."
He smiled.
"Yeah. You did."
A small silence followed.
Then—
"I'm Noel," he said. "I'm nine."
Elowen blinked.
"…Nine…"
He nodded. "You're Elowen, right?"
She nodded quickly.
"I'm seven," she said, holding up her fingers proudly.
Noel laughed softly.
"I figured."
Elowen frowned a little.
"…Why?"
"You're small," he said simply.
"I'm not that small…" she muttered, looking away.
He tilted his head, watching her.
"…You were scared earlier," he added.
"I wasn't!" she said quickly.
"You were," he said, smiling.
Elowen hesitated.
Then looked down.
"…A little…"
Noel's expression softened.
"It's okay," he said. "This place is kinda weird at first."
Elowen looked at him again.
"…It is," she said quietly.
Then, after a small pause—
"…but you're not scary."
Noel blinked.
Then grinned.
"Good."
Noel blinked.
A small silence followed.
Elowen stared down at her plate, poking at her food with her fork.
Then she peeked at him.
Then looked away.
Then peeked again.
"…Noel?" she said, her voice small.
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, fidgeting with the edge of the table.
"…Do you… really think I'm your sister?"
Her fingers tightened.
"…Or are you just saying that…?"
Her voice wobbled a little at the end.
Noel paused.
He looked at her properly this time.
At the way she wouldn't fully meet his eyes.
At how tightly she was holding her fork.
"…Elowen ," he said.
She flinched slightly and looked up.
"You are," he said, more firmly.
Elowen blinked.
"…Really?"
Noel nodded.
"You look just like our mom."
Elowen went still.
"…I do…?"
"Yeah," he said. "Same hair. Same eyes."
Elowen slowly reached up, touching her hair like she was checking.
"…Same…?"
Noel nodded again.
"Even the way you look confused," he added.
Elowen puffed her cheeks slightly.
"I'm not confused…"
He smiled a little.
"You are."
"…A little…" she mumbled.
A small pause.
Then
"…What was she like?" Elowen asked softly.
Noel's expression changed again.
Not sad exactly.
Just… quieter.
"She was really nice," he said.
Elowen leaned forward a bit, listening carefully.
"…Like Mira?"
Noel thought about it.
"…Kinda. But more… warm."
Elowen nodded slowly.
"…Did she talk a lot?"
"Yeah," he said. "And she laughed a lot too."
Elowen's eyes softened.
"…That sounds nice…"
Noel nodded.
"It was."
She rested her chin lightly on her hand.
"…Did she… hug you a lot?" she asked, curious.
Noel blinked.
Then gave a small laugh.
"Yeah. A lot."
Elowen looked down at her plate again.
"…Oh…"
Her voice was quiet.
"…I don't remember her…"
Noel didn't say anything for a moment.
Then—
"That's okay," he said gently.
Elowen looked up.
"…It is?"
He nodded.
"Yeah. I can tell you about her."
Elowen's eyes lit up just a little.
"…Really?"
"Yeah," he said. "If you want."
She nodded quickly.
"I do."
She hugged her arms a little, like she was holding onto the thought.
"…I want to know…"
Noel smiled softly.
"…Okay."
And just like that the big, quiet dining room didn't feel quite as scary anymore