Ah. [ well, that's convenient, and answers the question neatly. he can hardly imagine his hair being actually painful to cut. thranduil's home becomes stranger by the moment, it seems-- as thedas must seem to thranduil. (as thedas is to abelas, in fact, each time he wakes.) ] .. I only wear my hair this way out of habit, now. I feel as if it would take too much of my time, if I had your length. [ it's simply a difference in priorities, he supposes. thranduil's hair is important to him, as it apparently is to other elves of his world. of course he'd take care of it. abelas thinks nothing of his own, beyond not shaming mythal or his fellow sentinels in his appearance.

the question earns a short shake of his head. ] I've seen him. I haven't been here long, but I didn't survive this long by being unobservant. [ a beat. ] He's studied the rifts. He may have answers I seek. I'll introduce myself to him at some point, if he doesn't seek me out first. [ guilt twists inside him at the lie, but only briefly. it's a necessary one, and if the wolf takes thranduil into his confidence, abelas will apologize later for his deception. ]