"Whatever are we going to do with you?" Adinar said with a grin, giving her a hug.

------

Nellethiel nodded in agreement. She seemed much more subdued as they were escorted by the three elves to Lantaiel. There were a lot of fond memories for her here, but also more than a few ugly specters of the past raising their heads.

"Whatever are we going to do with you?" she asked back pokeing him in the chest in several uncorrdianated places.

Ragnoth wanted to know why Nellethiel seemed so...unwelcomed. But now wasn't the time to ask. Instead, he took her hand in his and squeezed it lightly, offering comfort.

Adinar chuckled and held one of her hands to his chest, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Who knows."

-------

Nellethiel felt the squeeze and looked over at him gratefully. Once they reached the gates, though, she could see a figure waiting for them. As soon as she saw the person from a distance, she knew it was her sister. Nellethiel wished she could leave Ragnoth at the gate or something, but knew she couldn't.

Ithilwen came closer to them, face impassive. The resemblance between her and Nellethiel was unmistakable, though Ithilwen was older and lovelier. Nellethiel remembered her youth, and knew that if she was smiling, there'd be no comparison between them--her older sister would be miles ahead of her. Nellethiel felt her own expression settling back into the sort of cold neutrality she had spoken to Ithilwen with before she left.

"She wants to see you," Ithilwen said quietly in elvish. "Your companion does not need to go."

"I understand," Nellethiel answered.

Ragnoth didn't understand much elvish, but he let go of her hand. "What do you want me to do? I'll do anything for you Nellethiel. Just say so."

"You coming with me after this is strongly discouraged," Nellethiel said, turning away from her sister to explain a little in Common.

Ragnoth nodded. "Alright. What do you want?" he asked. He didn't expect Nel to listen to or respect the customs others set upon her. But he would respect them if she wanted him to.

"Ragnoth, do what you want. I have to go see my mother," Nellethiel said. She didn't have an opinion at this point. She didn't care. She wanted to be here, but at the same time she really didn't.

Ragnoth nodded and leaned back against the wall outside the gate. He didn't feel like pushing it. He understood how distraught she was.

Nellethiel vanished into the city with her sister, the two not speaking to each other or even looking at each other.

Just the Lynx poked his head in the room. "Meowwerah." He whined as he hopped up on the bed and decided Adinar was going to be his pillow. Brenodie smiled and scruffed the big cat behind the ears. "There you are. Sorry I've been neglecting you Kitty." The big Lynx rolled on his stomach, still taking most of Adinar's lap. "I'm pretty sure I belong where you are though. Uh oh Adinar, I have competition now?"

******

Ragnoth waited outside the gate on the grass, enjoying the peaceful surrounding around him. He took out the necklace he had gotten for Nellethiel and inspected the pure silver and some sort of crystaline design. It really was a beautiful necklace. He hoped it would cheer her up some when times were grim.

Nellethiel came back after an hour or so, looking much more tired than she had left as. "Ragnoth, come in and come on. I'm going to be here for a couple days at least. At least if you're inside you get to see it."

--------

Adinar chuckled and started petting Lynx. "He's such a handsome cat," Adinar said with a grin. "Only competition for my lap, though."

Ragnoth nodded silently and followed Nellethiel in. He put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her and let her lean against him. "I'm here if you need me." he spoke softly.

Lynx was adament on wedging in between the two of them. "Well..." Brenodie added with a smile. "This is is revenge for my neglect. He finds the thing holding my attention and tries to get in between it and me."

Nellethiel did lean against him with a sigh. "Thanks, Ragnoth. I appreciate it," she said softly. "I'm glad you came."

--------

Adinar grinned. "Hmm...I might be able to get around that. But you'd better give your giant cat-dog some attention first," the draegloth said, still petting Lynx. He had four hands to use, too.

Ragnoth nodded and allowed the silence to comfort them both. It was a beautiful city, really. More beautiful then any other elven city he had been to. In the silence he was in awe. The poetic sense of him wanted to burst out, express itself. But he felt that now wasn't the time.

Brenodie rubbed the big cats belly. "Yea, I'm thinking about getting a big dog for Ragnoth. That way Lynx and the dog can play. Ragnoth loved his blood hounds. It's just I'm running out of time to pay attention to him. There was awhile where it used to be just me and Lynx, but things change."

Nellethiel sighed after a while, approaching one of the towers reserved for guests of the Lady. She was tired. Just spending an hour with her mother dumped a huge weight on her shoulders. She knew Ithilwen felt the same way, but when she tried to comfort her sister, the older elf had just pulled away. The wizard was worried, and fairly sure that this would be her last time in Lantaiel.

-----------

"Poor guy," Adinar said sympathetically, a hand rubbing Lynx's belly as well. His others kept petting him.