“How are you holding up, my love?” said Arwen at the main table.

“A Ranger learns to deal with discomfort,” said Aragorn.  “This, though—I should call it torment did I not know better.”

“You are bearing it admirably.”

“You know, had you wished, you could have let me change into normal stately wear.”

“And leave poor Faramir to suffer alone?  You know we could not bear that!”

“He could have been permitted to change as well.”

“That is the difficulty, though.  The agreement between him and Éowyn expressly said ‘for the duration of one day.’  The sun has not yet gone to her rest, so he—and, therefore, you—are obliged to wear this till then.  Afterwards,” Arwen said with a glint in her grey eye, “you may wear whatever you wish.”

“Cold comfort for the unwed man,” said Aragorn, glancing over at Faramir, who was acting quite naturally.

“I am certain Éowyn will make it up to him later.”  She paused.  “You know, there is one advantage of this over your normal stately wear.”

“What would advantage would that be?”

“It does not chafe.”

“True.  It also does not operate under the delusion that air is optional.”

Arwen let out a small laugh, then leaned across to kiss her husband on the cheek.  “You’re doing quite well, Est—”

“What is it?”

“Keep calm,” said Arwen, “and look over there.”  She pointed away from her, so that when Aragorn turned his head she could see the full array of his hair.

“Is there aught the matter?” said Aragorn warily.

“Nothing… too serious,” said Arwen, counting quickly.  “You merely appear to have misplaced one of my grandmother’s hairpins.”

Aragorn snapped his head back around.  “It could have gone missing any time this afternoon!”

“Or tonight.  There is, of course, the small chance that she will not notice until you have had the time to find it again.”

“Small.”

“Infinitesimally small.”

“I shall take that chance.  Will you take a turn around the hall with me?  A King ought to sample his city’s finest wares, and so lead his court by example.”  He rose, and offered Arwen his arm.

She joined him.  “You just hope that the rest of the court will become so enamored of drink that they forget this evening entirely.”

“I had not planned it to be so, but it would be a beneficial consequence…”