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After sitting silently, listening to the soft breathing of the woman and her Essentic, Ziazan moved around and put a hand on Rhian's back. "Little one, it's been long enough, yeah? Think we should wake her up to go see Faolan now?"

Ziazan gave a slightly guilty look at having woken the woman so soon after she fell asleep, but it wanted its owner fixed. Now. And this woman was the only one that could rightly do the job. The Alter quickly scrabbled to its feet and held out it's small hands to help the woman up. "Come on, Mama."

The young Alter nodded. "Rhian's right. It's been long enough." It led the woman easily down the steps of the vardo, then walked with her across the grounds. Usually a-bustle with people, performers and otherwise, the camps proved to be easy to traverse, the people stopping and moving out of the way to let Ellandra by. Secrets weren't easily kept in a community as tightly-knit as the didikai were, and most, if not all, knew about Faolan's depression. His wife coming home was a small hope to them that the young man would be normal again soon--normal for him, anyway.

Ziazan stopped at Keagan's vardo and looked up at Ellandra. "Keagan should be home. So, whenever you're ready."

"Alright," Zia said softly, and stepped up to knock on the door.

From inside a somewhat weary and less-gruff-than-usual voice called, "It's open."

The Alter pushed the door open and peered inside, giving a small wave to Keagan where the old man sat in a chair by the bed with a cup of soup, attempting to get Faolan to eat. Amazingly, the young man was sitting up and did actually seem responsive to food.

"Um, if this isn't a bad time, there's someone here to see him," Zia said.

"Just tell them he's had all the visitors he wants fae now an' t'come back some other time," Keagan said, focusing his attention back on his son. "Come on, lad. Few more spoonfuls an' Ah'll get you some puddin' fae desert."

The Essentic wasn't so easily brushed off. "He'll want to see this visitor, Keagan. Trust me."

Keagan looked up, narrowing his eyes at the Alter a moment, then sighed. "Fine, boy. Send them in. Just so they donnae gae t'interruptin' Fao's dinnertime." He went back to tempting his son with spoonfuls of soup, trying to get more in the young man's mouth than on the napkin he had tucked in the front of his shirt.

Zia moved out of the way so Ellandra could come in, giving her a hopeful look. This just had to work.

Faolan didn't move at his name being called, other than his eyes flicking towards the door.

On the other hand, Keagan was more than actively surprised for both of them. "About time you came home, lass. 't was a foolish thing t'do," he said not unkindly. He held up the cup of soup. "Feel like takin' o'er? Might get him t'respond more t'you."

"Nae more a fool than me idiot son fae makin' you feel you had t'leave," Keagan said, getting up so Ellandra could sit. He handed her the cup of soup, a spoon resting in it. "He's been eatin' a wee bit better since your gardener fellow came t'see him."

Faolan watched them both with some vacancy behind his eyes. He could see Ellandra there, but wasn't quite sure he wasn't simply dreaming the whole scene before him. He made a small noise, lifting his left hand, the red frayed ribbon still tied there, for the cup of soup. He was depressed, not dead, and was still somewhat hungry. Plus, he did want to earn some of the pudding his father was promising.