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"Yes, work has made you a bit lazy," Elnara giggled, heading for the kitchen to put the cookies away. She laughed. "And how many people can say that? For most people, work makes them do more, not less."

Once the cookies were away, she brushed her hands on her skirt and turned to face Lore.

"So," she murmured softly. "What needs to be done before we can retire for the night?"

Elnara was taken by surprise when Lore pulled her into a hug, but she smiled and lay her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around his stomach and hugging him back warmly.

"Well then," she murmured softly, "shall we head to bed?"

Their discussion from earlier in the day was still echoing through her head, but suddenly she found that she was feeling ... a little shy ... and that it was difficult to say anything about it again, now that the subject had been dropped for so long.

Elnara blushed softly as Lore led her to the bedroom, and once they were inside she turned back to him and placed one hand lightly on his chest.

"Well," she murmured, glad for once that there was no such thing as electric lights in Arda, and that the room was dark thanks to the setting of the sun, so that her blush would be at least mostly hidden, "perhaps not so tired ..."

She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then took a step backwards towards the bed and sat on the edge of it, smiling up at him.

"And you?"

The first month of their visit (that is, elven month, or nine Gaian weeks) passed without any too great adventures, and Elnara and Lore settled into something of a routine together (which was made easier once Ulani accepted that they weren't going to spend all of their time there at her house).

As the days grew shorter with the oncoming of Fading, Elnara found that it was slowly becoming more difficult to sleep at night, and more difficult to wake up in the morning, and sometimes - once in a while - it was difficult to find an appetite. Still, for the moment, she said nothing to Lore about it - she was sure it was nothing, and she was certain that it would pass.

On this particular day she had prepared a late breakfast for herself and Lore of eggs and bacon with fresh apple cider to drink and a loaf of freshly baked bread. As they sat down to eat, she smiled at Lore.

"Today's the day Mother and Ada should be coming back," she reminded him happily. Serenity and Beren had gone off to visit with Gion and Nadya after the wedding, but they had hoped to be back on this day and then stay for at least the winter.

"I hope their travel went well," she added worriedly. "I know the traveling has improved since the ranch was begun, but there are always dangers ..."

Elnara smiled, relief washing over her face, and she nodded.

"It's true," she giggled softly. "It's amazing how I tend to forget ... being a shapeshifter myself ... that Mother is also one. Though there are times when I even forget about my own shapeshifting ... I've spent my whole life fighting not to change that now that it's ... accepted ... I don't."

She laughed softly and leaned back in her chair, laying one hand subconsciously on her stomach, almost as if she were either ill - which she wasn't, she felt fine - or if she were full - despite the fact that she had barely touched her food.

Elnara blushed faintly and leaned forward again, resting her elbows on the table.

"Not really," she admitted softly. "I don't know why ... but I haven't been really hungry for a while now. I mean ... not only today, but other days ..."

Which was strange, because she had always eaten more at breakfast than any other meal. Her lunches and dinners hadn't changed at all, only her breakfasts ...

"Perhaps it's from having so much difficulty sleeping lately," she suggested softly. "I hope I haven't been keeping you awake ..."

Elnara smiled softly and rose from her seat, then moved to stand behind Lore, putting her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about me," she told him softly, kissing his cheek. "I do appreciate it ... but I'll be fine, I'm sure. And if not ... well, there are enough skilled healers around here."

She hugged him lightly, trying to ease his worries.

Elnara smiled and hugged him again before straightening once more.

"I will," she promised as she returned to her seat. "But you also have to tell me if I'm keeping you awake at night or anything, all right?" Her eyes were worried, but there was also a sparkle to them that didn't quite match her tone or her mood.